Auto Repair Shop Owner Accused Of Anti-Gay, Racist Remarks Evicted

ANN ARBOR (WWJ) - A former auto repair shop owner accused of making racist and anti-gay slurs toward customers has been evicted from his place of business in Ann Arbor.

Property owner Danielle Beydoun confirmed Whitney Passino was a tenant at the property — along with a gas station she operates — until March 1, when Beydoun had the repair businesses evicted according to MLIVE.

A story reported on FOX 2 included a young man who said he was verbally attacked by Passino when he called about an auto repair and the slurs continued via text.

A reply to a customer's comment from Whitney's Tire and Auto Repair stated, in part, "We stick to U of M related clients, a more appropriate fit given they reside near our shop. Ghetto folks need to stay in the Ghetto and not come to Ann Arbor."

When WWJ Newsradio called the phone number for the business, [shown in a tattoo on a FB post apparently belonging to Passino] to speak with Passino, a man answered the phone and identified himself as Jim Small, an employee, and said Passino was not there.

Small called the story "retarded" and said "since the story ran -- black customers have called to the shop to say "I've known you for years, and you've fixed my car for years ... It doesn't correlate to the person I know you to be."

Small told WWJ that he thought he could get a message to Passino but WWJ did not receive a reply.