Food truck owners frustrated after getting kicked off spots leased by South Florida business; deposits not returned

Food truck owners often have a hard time finding a place to park their trucks. Some signed up with a company that promised to find a space, but they say the company drove off with their money. 7’s Heather Walker investigates.

After years of working as a firefighter, Ronnie Horruitiner was excited to spend his retirement pursuing a new dream.

Ronnie Horruitiner, former food truck owner: “So it took me years to do it, but somebody at the end talked me into it.”

In August of 2023, he opened his own food truck called Mr. Chili 305.

Ronnie hired a company called Trukado to help him find the right location to sell his food. It claims to be an online platform where food truck operators can find and lease lots.

Ronnie connected with Trukado’s owner, Andrew Priestman.

Ronnie Horruitiner: “He talked a big game, a lot of promises.”

Ronnie says he and several other food truck owners paid Priestman a $3,100 deposit to rent a space in Wynwood. But just a few months after opening, Miami Code Enforcement shut them down.

Ronnie Horruitiner: “And they said, ‘No, you got until tomorrow morning to take the trucks out of here, or we’ll tow them for you, at your expense. We’re closing you down, period.'”

The violation notice says the Wynwood lot didn’t have a temporary use permit or valid business tax receipt. Something Ronnie says Trukado should have researched.

Ronnie Horruitiner: “I found out that he was leasing the property from the owner, the actual owner, so that’s when I realized this doesn’t look good.”

Ronnie says, right after they were shut down, Priestman offered to return his deposit in 30 days, but then ghosted him.

Ronnie Horruitiner: “Never heard from him. To this day.”

This has been a huge blow to Ronnie’s business.

Ronnie Horruitiner: “He owes us the $3,100 deposit and at least one week or eight days of that month that we had already paid for.”

Andrew Priestman wouldn’t agree to an interview, but in an email, he claims, “The city sent us approval and then retracted the permit after we were set up, stating there was more information needed for this permit to be reactivated … and thus causing us to have to close down.”

But the City of Miami tells 7 Investigates the property did not have the proper paperwork, and had “not been issued a Temporary Use Oermit” and “does not have an active Certificate of Use.”

Ronnie Horruitiner: “As it turns out, he’s been doing this; we’re not the first or the last.”

Court records show Priestman also set up another food truck lot in Fort Lauderdale. It was cited by the city in March because Trukado “…never applied for the permits” to run a food truck lot.

Meghan Browning: “It’s disgusting. There are people that are working just as hard as we are, that also need their money, that need to be paid, that need to know what’s going on.”

Meghan Browning and Alexander Ferzan were hired by Trukado to install and service portable toilets at food truck lots in Fort Lauderdale and Wynwood.

They sued Priestman after they say he never paid them.

Alexander Ferzan: “So he owes us just shy of $10,000, which is quite substantial when you’re talking about a small family business.”

They won their lawsuit a few weeks ago.

Meghan Browning: “So, for us, it was kind of more of like, ‘OK, we’re going to be the ones to champion this. We’ll be the civil justice warriors on this, because you don’t get to treat people like that.'”

But Ronnie says not everyone can afford to go to court, and the loss of that $3,100 cost him his business.

Ronnie Horruitiner: “How do I feel? I mean, I feel cheated, pissed off.”

Even though it’s been nearly a year, Priestman tells 7 Investigates that he does intend to return the food truck owners’ deposits.

But it’s too late for Ronnie. He shut down Mr. Chili 305 after he was evicted from Wynwood. He hopes Trukado is shut down before someone else’s dream is destroyed.

Heather Walker, 7News.

CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
305-627-CLUE
954-921-CLUE
7Investigates@wsvn.com