Local businesses step up to help couple caught in driveway scam

Dorothy and Marv Davenport received plenty of community sympathy after they lost $6,000 in an asphalt paving scam earlier this month. One Longview company even repaired the shoddy job for free.

The Cathlamet couple were approached on Aug. 1 by a man offering a deal for asphalt left over from another job. The small paving job at the Elochoman Valley Road home turned into a more extensive project. At the end of it, the workers demanded $9,000, with the Davenports eventually agreeing to pay $6,000.

The couple blamed themselves for falling for the scam. But following the Aug. 8 Daily News story, Dorothy Davenport said several people told her about their similar experiences.

People were very sympathetic. It made me feel better that we werent the only ones, though I feel bad they had to go through the same situation, too, Davenport, 75, said Thursday.

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries is still investigating the case.

After reading the Davenports story, Scott Schill, manager of Accurate Asphalt Solutions in Longview, offered to repair the driveway for free. Schill said he sees paving scams all the time and hates how scammers have blighted the industry.

I was heartbroken. Ive done work for the family. Theyre part of my customer base, so I wanted to take care of them, Schill said Thursday. Theyre good people.

After surveying the bad paving job, Schill said he wouldnt have even paid $6,000.

They got ripped off. Some of that asphalt was a half-inch thick. It wouldnt have made it through the winter, he said.

Workers spent eight hours Wednesday cutting out the bad asphalt and laying down new blacktop, which was donated by Lakeside Industries. Davenport said she was grateful for the generosity from Accurate Asphalt and Lakeside, which saved the family from waiting just before winter to get the pavement repaired.

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Local businesses step up to help couple caught in driveway scam