SAN RAFAEL, Calif. (KGO) — This past weekend wasn’t exactly ideal for Bruce Gaylord.
“The first night I went to bed at 1 a.m., the second night I couldn’t sleep through the night, and the third night, Sunday night, I couldn’t sleep at all,” he said. said.
Gaylord lives in a homeless camp in San Rafael.
He says the reason he can’t sleep is because of the machinery located right next to East Bay Tire Company.
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In addition to security warnings and loud calls to passersby, classical music will be played from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
On Monday morning, Gaylord filed a lawsuit against the company to stop the noise.
“In my opinion, they could have put that device somewhere else,” Gaylord said.
Robbie Durho, East Bay Tire’s assistant manager, said the company began using the machine on Friday.
A way to stop some incidents, he said, is to periodically spill over from the encampment to the store.
“It’s been tough because we’re out here every morning picking up trash and glass and all sorts of other things,” Delho said.
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The company says it has witnessed everything from illegal drug use to prostitution taking place in the encampments.
During our visit, Delho also showed us a window that was cracked by bullets allegedly fired into the store.
East Bay Tire says the music and security system is not intended to force people living in the camp out. They say it’s actually to keep their employees and customers safe.
“We have people who come here at 5:30 in the morning. They’re all alone. We have 24-hour roadside assistance. Technicians come in the middle of the night or 3 a.m., and they’re all alone. ” Delho said.
But to Gaylord, the machine is inhuman.
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The way he said to punish people who were going through the worst time of their lives.
That’s why he says he is determined to see the case through to its conclusion.
“I’m just a human being with schizoaffective disorder and mental illness, and as you can see, I’m in a wheelchair,” Gaylord said.
East Bay Tire Company says it will turn off the music while the lawsuit continues.
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