Lawsuit filed against Continental Express

Even though Continental Express Inc. was sold at the end of 2008, the Little Rock trucking firm continues to make news.

Metropolitan National Bank filed a lawsuit against the company and its former owner, Edward M. Harvey of Little Rock, in an attempt to collect on defaulted loans that totaled $1.7 million, according to the bank’s lawsuit filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court.

The company first took out a $1.78 million loan on Oct. 10, 2006. The company’s 110-acre industrial spread secured the mortgage. Harvey also had guaranteed the loan.

In 2007, Continental borrowed another $250,000 from MNB. By December 2009, both loans had come due, but neither was paid, according to the suit.

Metropolitan wants Continental’s property to be sold and a judgment slapped against Harvey. But Harvey can’t be found.

Stephen Hester of Little Rock, an attorney for MNB, said he couldn’t track Harvey down to hand him court papers.

A woman who answered the phone at Harvey’s home said he wasn’t there and she didn’t know his schedule. Messages left weren’t immediately returned.