One Person’s Memory of Selling Cars With Sunrise’s Rosen; Plantation’s Petrocelli
A friend of mine sold cars with both Sunrise Comissioner Don Rosen and Plantation Commissioner Rico Petrocelli at the same Broward County dealership.
I asked what they remembered from more than two decades ago about the two politicians who are currently running for re-election.
Here is my e-mailed question, followed by my friend’s e-mail. The friend’s e-mail has been edited to remove any mention of other individuals:
Didn’t you once tell me you worked with Don Rosen and/or Rico Petrocelli at the car dealership? What were they like.
Buddy
***
Buddy,
OMG: Don’t get me started.
They were both slimeballs, but in different ways…Rosen was just a sleazebag….picture this: Maroon polyester leisure suit with white belt and matching shoes.
Rosen
He would “skate” the other salesmen (which means he would steal their clients when they were off and never tell them about it. We were to split deals if more than one person worked with a client…).
He also frequented stripper bars, not that there is anything wrong with that but he was just mostly disgusting.
Petrocelli was different, he was just plain evil…his name was Francis J. Petrocelli at the time and his BIG claim to fame was that baseball player Rico Petrocelli was a cousin…
Petrocelli
He was a “born again Christian” who found God…..And he used the religion card at every opportunity……He stole so many deals, that one salesperson finally said to him: “Revenge is mine, Sayeth the lord…” and he absolutely freaked…..
He used to spread the most vicious lies about other sales people.
Petrocelli was a close buddy with an ex-cop who had recently gotten some bad press in the Sentinel…an ex cop who was also on the sales force and was always involved in some “get rich quick” scheme or another…..
You can’t imagine how horrified I was when I started reading about Rosen and Petrocelli as community leaders…..
I hope you will consider me a confidential source…..seriously….those guys scare me.
February 24th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
I would say that description is just begging for another rosen “look-alike” photo contest.
February 24th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Rico Petrocelli has ruined the reputation of PAL with his stupidity and his greed. I believe everything that is written here from knowing him.
February 24th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Whoa Buddy,
You may have given me a nightmare, mixing a used car saleman with a badge and gun. No woman would be safe near that dealership! They didn’t even give Jason, chuckie or Freddie that kind of Authority.
The story starts out with a young lady driving through the City of Sunrise, when suddenly she sees red lights pull up behind her. She looks in her rear view mirror and starts screaming; she sees a man of authority wearing a leisure suit, gun and badge. He begins to speak, saying “Excuse me sweetheart, would you like to test drive my car to my condo on the beach and have a little fun in the sack” as he kisses her on the cheek. He then writes her personal information in his little Black Book and tells her to behave or he will have to put her over his knee and give her a spanking.
Luckily, she escaped the ordeal but wonders how many others did not escape the never ending nightmare.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:06 am
maybe Rico can speak to deerfield’s removed mayor in italian while they share a prison cell for thier misdeeds while holding office. as a woman who has been in plantation for over 45 years I am tired of the way our city is changing.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:13 am
Dear Old Plantation,
I’m new to Plantation. You don’t have to have been here 45 years to be ashamed by the Rico Petrocelli scandal since I too have kids in PAL. I met Petrocelli in Central Park and was repulsed by his phony demeanor. Now I see he was a car salesman who was dishonest just like he was supposedly dishonest running PAL. Wow.
February 25th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Amazing how reputations can be destroyed in a crummy blog on the internet. Anonymous, faceless attacks. How cowardly. Journalism is the only profession that hasn’t progressed in 300 years. Even prostitutes now wear condoms.
February 25th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Rico Petrocelli can’t speak Italian. Obviously since he pronounces his name (Petrosely) In Italian, the ce is pronounced CHE so phonetically it would be pronounced (Petrochelly) If he cannot pronounce his own Italian name correctly, how can you expect much more from him.
February 26th, 2009 at 6:42 am
I think reputations are destroyed by people who do bad things and then the newspaper reports about those things. This blog is just the sounding board for the people who are fed up with crooked politicians. Yes, some of them go too far, but the real question is, did Rico do these things? Yes,he admited it. Is he under investigation? Yes, case closed. If you want to be a politician, you have to expect to be put under the magnifying glass and you darn well better be squeaky clean. If not… THAT is what ruins reputations.
February 26th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I agree that sometimes the blogs can go too far, but if you read thoroughly and are the least bit familiar with the Rico case, 98% of what is printed here is factual. Please read previous articles by Buddy and Lisa Huriash at the Sentinel on Rico…he is on TAPE admitting the things he is under investigation for. He has been and always will be a sleazebag…using hs uncle/cousin’s name is just one example. “Francis” needs to be kicked off the City Council…people, PLEASE vote him out on March 10!
February 26th, 2009 at 9:56 am
can you imagined the plantation police FOP endorses Rico for reelection at the same time police turn his p.a.l check fraud over to state attorneys office for review? I have always supported our officers. thank you sharon uria for looking out for the people who do the real work at our police dept as always you are the only voice that makes sense for plantation
February 26th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Can someone tell me who paid off the Sun Seninel Editorial Board for their nonsensical endorsement of Rico this morning? Are they kidding? Just because Rico glad-hands and returns citizen’s phone calls he should be re-elected…and his commitment to PAL? What a disgrace.
February 27th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
His name is Francis not Rico and he is clueless. Go to a council meeting and see for yourself.
August 5th, 2009 at 9:06 am
after all the dust settles…the charges against Rico were dropped. The charges did just what they were supposed to do though…made him lose the election. Anyone can be accused of anything. The State Attorney has ended it’s review of claims…AND NO CHARGES WERE FILED.
Tingom couldn’t keep Plantation High School’s head above water…now he’ll be in charge of running our city into the ground. Won’t it be great when our entire city looks like Plantation High School?