Galveston man claims possessions in storage were destroyed

GALVESTON - A Galveston man is suing two businesses after they allegedly demolished his storage unit and lost his possessions.

Hansen Mills's lawsuit says Watson & Taylor Management Inc. guaranteed him time to move his belongings to another unit after his original one was destroyed by Hurricane Ike. However, Mills alleges the company allowed Tuttle Enterprises Inc. to tear down the storm-damaged unit before the plaintiff could clear everything out.

The suit was filed July 30 in Galveston County Court No. 3.

According to court papers, Mills signed a new contract for the replacement unit a month after the Category 2 storm's Sept. 13, 2008, landfall when Watson & Taylor gave him a two-day window to get it done.

When the plaintiff returned the next day to begin the move, he discovered the unit was gutted and his possessions were missing, the original petition says.

Mills claims Watson & Taylor told him a signed release was required before the unit could be gutted, but the unit had been gutted by co-defendant Tuttle Enterprises without a release.

Watson & Taylor instructed Mills to put together an inventory of the missing items. The plaintiff insists he complied, but his property was never returned and he was never compensated.

Consequently, he seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Lone Star Legal Aid is representing Mills, and the case has been assigned to Galveston County Court No. 3 Roy Quintanilla.

Cause No. 63,411