There is mounting trouble for a Hot Springs man who admitted forging documents to make it appear he was a licensed surveyor when he wasn’t. Doug Fellenz now is facing a lawsuit filed by a former client he allegedly duped.
In a scathing lawsuit filed last month in Garland County Circuit Court, Summit Properties LLC of Benton accused Fellenz of fraud.
Summit, which sells and leases property across the country, said it hired A.B. Engineering Inc. in 2012 to perform professional civil engineering and surveying services.
During a 14-month period that ended in July 2013, Summit paid A.B. nearly $200,000 for work on plats, plans and surveys.
Summit later learned, though, that A.B.’s employee, Fellenz, used the signature and seal of a licensed surveyor because he wasn’t licensed by the Arkansas State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers & Professional Surveyors.
And Summit relied on those fraudulent documents, including when taking out loans.
Summit also sued A.B. Engineering and its president, Aaron Burroughs, for negligence for failing to keep an eye on Fellenz and make sure the work he did was “complete, accurate and correct,” the lawsuit said.
Summit is seeking an unspecified amount in damages. Burroughs referred calls to his attorney, David Powell of Little Rock, who declined to comment.
We couldn’t reach Fellenz for comment. But in his file at the state board were admissions to his transgressions.
“During my tenure at A.B. Engineering, I placed copies of the professional surveyor seal of Patrick Malone and the certificate of authorization seal of Malone & Associates [of Hot Springs] on several surveys,” Fellenz said in an affidavit dated Sept. 6, 2013. “I placed the counterfeit seals without the direction or knowledge of Aaron [Burroughs], who was not at all involved and did not provide review of my work. I am fully responsible for those false seals.”
Apparently, Malone became aware in July 2013 of the unauthorized use of the seals and turned the matter over to the board.
Fellenz said in his affidavit that he was certified only as an engineer intern and a surveyor intern. He signed a consent order in which the board yanked his intern certificates and gave him a letter of reprimand.
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