A Wichita man is speaking out after a routine trip to the mechanic turned into a major scandal. Larry Martin Jr. says he was left feeling “humiliated” after discovering a racial slur printed directly on his oil change sticker from Rusty Eck Ford.
When Martin picked up his truck, he says he “assumed they changed the oil and finished my truck and brought it back.” It wasn’t until weeks later that he was contacted by the dealership, who asked him to check his sticker. The reason? “[They] told me one of their employees had put something on my sticker that was derogatory,” Martin explained.
Upon inspection, he found the N-word printed on the sticker, a discovery that left him reeling.
“It’s humiliating… it carries a lot of weight, and every time I get in my truck, this is what I’m thinking,” Martin said. “It doesn’t go away. I feel belittled, and I just want to know why.”
The dealership reportedly reached out via text to offer a replacement sticker, insisting that the incident was the work of a single employee and didn’t reflect the company’s values. However, for Martin and his family, that isn’t enough.
Rusty Eck Ford issued a statement on Monday evening, confirming they had launched an internal investigation and subsequently terminated one employee.
“Rusty Eck Ford became aware early last week of concerns regarding alleged inappropriate conduct. Rusty Eck Ford does not tolerate racial, hateful, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate conduct in the workplace,” the statement read. “Members of our leadership team met with the family today to listen to their concerns and better understand the issues they raised. The family presented additional questions and information that warrant further review. As a result, our investigation remains ongoing.”
The dealership added that they are committed to a thorough review and to maintaining an environment where “every individual is treated with dignity and respect.”
Following a meeting with dealership leadership, Martin’s daughter, Kelsey, made it clear that the family is far from satisfied with how the situation is being managed.
“No one deserves to be humiliated like this,” she said. “An apology just isn’t enough, and it doesn’t suffice for the embarrassment that my father has experienced.”