Florida attorney James Fowler, 73, filed a lawsuit against Marriott International for negligence because he alleges a hotel valet gave the keys to his $300,000 yellow 2014 Ferrari 458 Italia Spider to a couple later found in possession of marijuana and cocaine.
The valet attendant told police things got very busy. At some point, a man, identified as Levi Miles, 28, asked for keys to the Ferrari. Then he got in the car with Chloe Rimmer, 24, a woman he met at the hotel that night. The police report says the man "seemed to be impatient". The pair sat in the car for "quite a while." The valet told police he stopped paying attention when he "figured he was not getting a tip," and eventually the Ferrari drove off. About 12:30 a.m., the couple's joyride came to an abrupt end when a police officer noticed the Ferrari's taillights were out and pulled the vehicle over.
Police found cocaine on the car's center console and a gram of marijuana in Rimmer's purse. Miles was charged with grand theft, possession of cocaine and habitually driving with a suspended or revoked license. Miles told police he did not steal the car because the valet gave him the keys. He added that he was just trying to impress the girl he met at the Vinoy. In his lawsuit, the attorney claims he "spent significant sums" on car inspections, repairs and legal fees, and that the Ferrari's value has been "diminished" as a result of the theft.