Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed suit in Delaware County Common Pleas Court against a northern Ohio contractor and his company, accusing them of taking big checks for swimming-pool and pond projects that never got finished. The complaint names Storm D. Mills and Mills Water Management and says five customers scattered across several counties are out nearly $250,000, with the state asking for restitution, civil penalties and a court order to stop further violations.
Yost's office did not mince words, saying Mills "skipped town and headed south" after pocketing payments and later set up a new pool business in Florida. The Attorney General's statement lays out the allegations and the remedies the state is seeking from the court, in a press release via Ohio Attorney General's Office.
Customers left with unfinished work
According to the complaint, five consumers in Delaware, Hancock, Richland, Seneca and Wyandot counties collectively paid nearly $250,000 for pool and pond projects that were either never started or left in limbo. Local coverage has broken down where the complaints came from and how the deals allegedly went sideways, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.
What the lawsuit alleges and asks the court to do
The lawsuit claims violations of Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Home Solicitation Sales Act, accusing Mills and his company of taking money without delivering what was promised. It asks the court to order restitution for the affected consumers, impose civil penalties and issue an injunction to prevent any further harm, according to a press release via Ohio Attorney General's Office.
How homeowners can protect themselves
Yost's office used the case as a reminder for standard consumer safeguards: find out whether permits are required, check references and licensing, compare written estimates from multiple contractors and be cautious about large upfront payments. Those tips line up with long-standing guidance on hiring contractors and spotting red flags, as the Better Business Bureau advises.
Next steps and where to report problems
The case is pending in Delaware County Common Pleas Court, and filings are expected to appear on the county clerk's online docket as it moves forward. Anyone who believes they were harmed by Mills or a similar contractor can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection unit and keep tabs on the case through the Delaware County Clerk of Courts and local coverage, including The Columbus Dispatch and the Delaware County Clerk of Courts.
