Man says Dollar General manager's remarks led to his firing

GALVESTON � A Galveston County man says he lost his job as a contractor because of an incident at a Dollar General Store in Dickinson two months ago.

In a lawsuit filed Feb. 23 against Dollar General Corp. in Galveston County District Court, Weldon Lee Miller claims that the store's manager berated him for an alleged robbery at the business within earshot of his employer, who later fired him.

Miller was buying diapers and batteries for a Christmas present for his stepson at the time of the alleged incident. According to the suit, he stood in line waiting to be checked out when the manager approached him.

"The defendant's manager on duty stated loud enough for all in line to hear, including the plaintiff's employer who happened to also be in the same line at the time, that the plaintiff fit the description of the individual who had robbed the same store a week before," the original petition says.

It adds the plaintiff told the manager that he was not a thief and that he had a job, but the commotion escalated.

Miller made his purchases and left. He returned the next day to address the situation and learned that no such robbery ever took place, the suit says.

The allegations reportedly prompted Miller's boss to dismiss the plaintiff.

Consequently, he seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Attorney Mark Aronowitz of Texas City is representing Miller, and Galveston County 212th District Court Judge Susan Criss is presiding over the case.

Case No. 11-cv-0326