A lawsuit recently filed in Miller County, Ark., accuses Danny Lewis of defaulting on more than $20,000 in loans related to a private insurance business. Lewis is the Miller County treasurer.
Lewis and his wife, Tami Lewis, are named as defendants in a suit filed June 29 in Miller County circuit court on behalf of Danny Jewell and Charlotte Jewell by Texarkana lawyer David Freeze. The suit accuses the Lewises of failing to fully repay loans to the Jewells made April 24, 2014, for $20,000 and $1,100.
Danny Lewis declined comment.
Freeze said the loans made by the Jewells to the Lewises are related to Chandler Insurance, which operates in Texarkana. On his Facebook page, Danny Lewis states he is "ownership, agent and janitor" at Chandler Insurance. According to the Arkansas Secretary of State website, Danny Jewell is the registered agent for Chandler and serves as the company's president and treasurer while Charlotte Jewell serves as the company's vice president and secretary.
The Jewells' complaint alleges the Lewises owed $19,952.42 on the $20,000 note as of April 1 and $1,336.44 on the smaller loan as of April 8. The suit asks that interest be calculated at 10 percent per annum and that the Lewises be ordered to pay the Jewells' attorney fees.
Court records in Miller County show Ivan Smith Furniture acquired a default judgment May 24, 2015, against Danny Lewis for $3,000.23 in unpaid debt. A writ of garnishment was issued July 21, 2015, to Chandler Insurance that required the company to make payments on the judgment from Danny Lewis' income. A satisfaction of judgment was filed by Ivan Smith's lawyer Sept. 30, 2015, indicating the debt, plus interest, had been paid in full.
The Lewises filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy Jan. 10, 2003. In a 2012 interview with the Gazette, Danny Lewis said the bankruptcy filing was related to medical bills and unemployment. A lien was filed on Lewis' home in October 2003 by Artex Electric for unpaid debt. Danny Lewis was delinquent on his real estate and personal property taxes from 2003 to 2010. In 2011, a lending institution foreclosed on Danny Lewis' home.
Danny Lewis has served as Miller County treasurer since Jan. 1, 2013. He did not run for re-election this year, and his term as treasurer will end Dec. 31. He unsuccessfully ran this year for Miller County judge.