The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

  • Home
  • Latest News
  • Local
    • Palmdale
    • Lancaster
    • Los Angeles County
    • Littlerock
    • Lake Los Angeles
    • Rosamond
    • Edwards AFB
    • Acton
  • Crime
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Business
  • Opinion
    • Advertise
    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Show Search

Black termite inspector alleges white ex-boss threatened to kill him

by City News Service • July 8, 2020 23 Comments

LOS ANGELES – A Black former termite inspector at a Lancaster company is suing his ex-employer, alleging his white boss “terrorized” him on the job because of his race and threatened she would kill him without anyone ever knowing how it happened.

Troy Fontenette’s Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit names as defendants Clark Pest Control Inc., his former boss, Kathy Lowe, and Michael Clark, the company’s chief financial officer. He maintains he also suffered gender discrimination and retaliation and that he was wrongfully fired in 2019 for complaining about his alleged disparate treatment.

Fontenette, 56, is seeking unspecified damages in his complaint.

He says he feared Lowe’s alleged threats, and he alleges in his court papers that Lowe once told him, “I have guns, and I know how to use them.”

A Clark Pest representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Clark Pest is a family-run business with family members in key positions, according to the plaintiff. Fontenette was hired as a termite inspector at the Lancaster location, where there were only two Black employees, the suit states.

Lowe “terrorized” him with threats of physical violence that were ignored by other bosses at the company, the suit alleges. She once told the plaintiff, in the presence of another boss, “I will kill you, and no one will know how it happened,” the plaintiff claims.

Lowe also told Fontenette, “I will drop kick you in the head,” the suit alleges.

Fontenette says he was in his office with a co-worker one day when Lowe walked in and began arguing with him.

“Suddenly, and without provocation, Lowe grabbed a three-inch metal rod used for termite treatment and, pounding it from one hand to the other hand like a police officer wielding a baton, she advanced on the plaintiff as if she was going to strike him with the rod,” the suit alleges.

At times Lowe lifted her fists toward Fontenette like a boxer and would “jerk forward in a fighting stance,” according to the complaint, which alleges Lowe often talked about her hunting trips, the animals she had killed and the men she had “beaten up.”

In May 2019, Lowe accosted the plaintiff while he was washing his truck, then took the wash bucket out of his hand and put it in a supply closet, the suit alleges. Fontenette went and got the bucket and began walking, but Lowe charged into the warehouse, blocked his path and refused his requests that she move, according to the plaintiff

As other employees watched, Fontenette told Lowe she was preventing him from doing his job, the suit alleges. Lowe stepped aside, but later walked up to the sink while he filled his bucket, yanked it from him and spilled water on his clothing and shoes, the suit states.

Fearing the escalation of Lowe’s alleged aggression, Fontenette filed an internal complaint with Clark Pest Control in which he described the incidents with Lowe and asked for an investigation, the suit states.

In response, Clark Pest put Fontenette on administrative leave, the suit states. The CFO transferred Lowe to a different location, but did not discipline or fire her, the suit states.

In late June 2019, Michael Clark told Fontenette he would have to travel to Bakersfield, 90 miles from the plaintiff’s home, for additional training even though his past training took place in local offices, the suit states.

A few days later, the CFO, upset that Fontenette missed a training session, became angry at the plaintiff, ordered him to return his equipment and uniforms and claimed Fontenette resigned, the suit alleges.

Fontenette accepted his termination on July 6, 2019, and told Clark he believed the company had not provided him a safe work environment and retaliated after he complained about discriminatory acts against him, the suit states.

–

Filed Under: Home, Lancaster, Los Angeles County

23 comments for "Black termite inspector alleges white ex-boss threatened to kill him"

  1. Alby says

    July 17, 2020 at 6:23 am

    Why does everyone think I’m such a racist loser? I just hate anyone who isn’t white

    Reply
    • Wondering says

      July 17, 2020 at 8:07 am

      You are what you speak Alby.

      You speak fluent racist. Therefore, that’s how we know you.

      Reply
    • Alby says

      July 17, 2020 at 11:40 am

      Na. The real loser is the desperate turd that is too shy to use his or her real name.

      Reply
      • Trump is a criminal says

        July 17, 2020 at 12:02 pm

        Your name “Alby” is useless as an identifier. What is your full name if you want to play that game?

        Who the heck is this Alby any2way? You might as well use the name “Joe” or “John”. You’re still anonymous.

        And you thought you were so smart.

        You still speak fluent racist, real name or not.

        Reply
      • Running with scissors says

        July 17, 2020 at 2:39 pm

        Wouldn’t it be great to handcuff Alby to Ron and drop them off in Pacoima late at night in their underwear?

        They talk tough.

        Reply
        • Stinger says

          July 17, 2020 at 7:18 pm

          Meh. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt.

          Reply
  2. Pest control says

    July 10, 2020 at 7:32 am

    Lowe missed her calling to be in the MMA.

    Reply
  3. Pest control says

    July 10, 2020 at 7:30 am

    Critter buster Kathy Lowe apparently wanted to exterminate him. He should have left much earlier than he did.

    Reply
  4. FG says

    July 9, 2020 at 8:40 am

    I was a previous employee at Clark Pest Control. I was in a supervisory position with them at the time, at the Lancaster branch. I can honestly say that He’s not asking for a payout, his allegations have some serious credit behind them. It’s an unfortunate thing that the previous manager never took into consideration what everyone, from supervisors to current technicians had to say about the individual that is being mentioned.

    Reply
    • Former employee says

      July 11, 2020 at 1:05 pm

      Here, here! I can attest to the fact that Kathy was a tyrant, and the previous Branch Manager never corrected her behaviors. She is a very vindictive person. If you made her upset and got on her bad side, you had a target on your back. I quit due to her. However, the rest of the staff in Lancaster were great (except the previous Manager).

      Reply
  5. Kdcali says

    July 8, 2020 at 11:29 pm

    Hire “them”Yeah you’re an idiot.

    Reply
  6. Alby says

    July 8, 2020 at 9:13 pm

    What wasn’t in the story was that Lowe was a part time dominitrix and Fontenette didn’t pay for the last two non-consecutive hours. ❤God, I wish Kathy was my boss. God! I wish I was black.

    Reply
  7. Jeremiah Redd says

    July 8, 2020 at 6:29 pm

    I had a friend that worked there and he’s told me some stories about Kathy and the way things went around there.

    Reply
  8. Spencer says

    July 8, 2020 at 5:45 pm

    … always playing the race card –

    Reply
  9. Termite says

    July 8, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    Fontenette is looking for a payout.

    Reply
    • Boss is mean says

      July 8, 2020 at 4:50 pm

      Another bad worker pulling the race card. Dude is taking advantage of the times. Should have came up with a better story. Being scared by a woman come on dude man up.

      Reply
    • Srsly? says

      July 8, 2020 at 10:36 pm

      And they wonder why nobody wants to hire them?

      Reply
      • AV Is RACIST says

        July 9, 2020 at 5:57 am

        You’re the typical racist trash the AV is filled with.

        Reply
        • Alby says

          July 12, 2020 at 12:50 am

          And you’re the typical extra (overflowage) that should just leave the AV.

          Reply
          • MPGA says

            July 12, 2020 at 3:56 pm

            THANK YOU ALBY all these LA and Pacoima rejects are doing nothing but turning palmdale into another ghetto, as a child my mother and I could spend all day comfortably at the city library now its infested with a bunch of drug addict homeless bums who do nothing but beg and leach off the electricity and wifi

          • Alby says

            July 12, 2020 at 4:16 pm

            When are they gonna get a clue that the AV rejects them as well?.

          • Wondering says

            July 12, 2020 at 4:24 pm

            I have 2 doctors here in the Antelope Valley that are Black.

            What do you, Alby, and MPGA do besides flipping burgers? Anything useful?

          • Alby says

            July 16, 2020 at 11:58 pm

            What? They’re black? Oh god, such an abomination. Nevermind my heart bypass surgery. I’d rather take that blood clot to the brain till I go hurdy durdy durrrr. Lol you’re missing the point man!!! Please guess what kind of Mut I am. And find out who manufactures them tools that makes a doctors job do-able. Otherwise I’ll go back to flipping burgers while crackin a smile like hurdy durr.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Comments

  • Stinger on New emergency field hospital now open in Lancaster: “I am not so quick to cynicism on this one. Religious organizations have been both bane and boon, but I…” Jan 18, 15:38
  • Stinger on Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy reported being at Capitol on day of insurrection: “Proof? Proof? Proof? Seriously – ANY PROOF? Snipper provides none. Just projection and trumplican propaganda.” Jan 18, 15:00
  • david on New emergency field hospital now open in Lancaster: “Right, isnt there a non religious org that can do this? Because we all know this is only done in…” Jan 18, 14:53
  • OKFine on Man struck and killed by vehicle in Lancaster: “2 AM, what the heck is someone out waking out in the middle of nowhere like 110th West. Homeless encampment,…” Jan 18, 14:49
  • Stinger on Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy reported being at Capitol on day of insurrection: “Still no proof ever provided, just noise and bluster. Also, no sense of comedic history, either, or you would have…” Jan 18, 14:44

© 2021 · The Antelope Valley Times. All rights reserved. Terms of Use