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Accused Tacoma car salesman denies gang rape allegations

08:41 AM PDT on Thursday, May 10, 2007

By PAUL AKER / KING 5 News

Michael Dolajak says he walked into the room where the alleged rape was happening as he was looking for keys.

Just two days after KING 5 first reported the multi-million dollar judgment awarded to a woman who says she was raped by three car salesmen who worked at a Tacoma dealership, one of those men is speaking out.

"I think it's unfair to ruin my life over something she did willingly," said Michael Dolajak.

Dolajak just got hit with a $2.5 million legal judgment.  He never showed up in court to defend himself against the rape allegations made by a woman we're calling Linda.

She says Dolajak and two other car salesmen gang raped her after they'd gone out in an evening to celebrate her purchase of a car from Mallon Ford.

In an apartment where they had stopped to use the restroom, Linda told KING 5 that one of the men told the other two to hold her down.

"I never once held her down," said Dolajak "Nothing. It was all willing."

Dolajak, Richy Carter and a third man were all salesmen at Mallon Ford.  Linda sued them and Mallon.  She accused the dealership of encouraging an environment of sexual harassment.  Mallon denied wrongdoing and settled for $100,000.

A judge ruled against Carter and Dolajak because they didn’t show up for court.  Dolajak says he planned to defend himself in person.

"Represent myself, because I feel the truth stands up better than lies," said Dolajak.

Dolajak mistakenly thought he didn't need to appear in court since the dealership was settling the case.

As for the incident, he says he walked into a room where Linda had been taken as he was looking for keys.

When asked if what he saw seemed strange, Dolajak said "Well yeah.  I just wanted to get cigarettes and had nothing, just bored, had nothing else to do."

The Tacoma Police Department admits it initially mishandled the case, but later said the woman changed her mind about being raped, something she adamantly denies.

It's unlikely Dolajak will ever pay anything close to the $2.5 million dollar judgment against him. He says he just doesn't have the money. However the victim could have his wages garnished. He's now a salesman at a different dealership.

Dolajak says he plans to appeal.

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