ROMULUS, Mich. – A BP gas station in Romulus is still charging drivers nearly $6 a gallon for regular gas — months after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office launched a formal price gouging investigation into the station.
The station, located at Wick and Middlebelt roads about a mile from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, has drawn scrutiny for years over its elevated prices.
Prices keep climbing as drivers voice frustration
According to GasBuddy, the average price for regular gas in the Detroit area is about $4 a gallon. The Romulus BP station is charging close to $6 a gallon for regular — $5.94 with a credit card as of the time of reporting, roughly $2 more than nearby competitors.
A nearby Sheetz location was selling regular gas for $4.09 a gallon.
Drivers who spoke with Local 4 said the station is a last resort.
“I’m on empty so I have to fill up, well at least halfway, not all the way,” said Carolyn Adkisson, who gets gas at the station only when necessary. “If I didn’t have to come here, I wouldn’t come here.”
Adkisson believes the station’s proximity to the airport plays a role in the pricing strategy.
“If it’s by the airport it’s price gouging because you have rental cars,” she said.
Michael Johnson, who works nearby, said prices have only gotten worse.
“They raised it higher. They actually raised it higher,” Johnson said. “It’s crazy how they could put it up $6 a gallon when everyone else around the way is pretty much lower. I don’t know, it’s kind of crazy.”
Johnson said he would rather keep driving than stop there.
“No, definitely not. Even if my stuff is on a quarter tank. I can make it. I can make it up the street,” he said.
How the investigation evolved — and where it stands now
The Attorney General’s office first looked into the station in 2023, conducting an informal review when it was believed to be under different ownership. At that time, the Consumer Protection Team compared the station’s per-gallon pricing to other area stations from an external perspective only.
The office issued a notice of intended action during that informal review but said it was ultimately unable to secure the assurances it was looking for.
In June 2026, the AG’s office escalated to a formal investigation — one that carries significantly more legal weight. A court authorized the office to issue subpoenas, allowing investigators to examine the station’s financial records and obtain testimony from its operators.
“The present formal investigation is best understood as an evolution from our prior informal investigation, not two separately open and closed matters,” the Attorney General’s office said in a statement.
The threshold for price gouging under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, or MCPA, is a price that is “grossly in excess of the price at which similar goods or services are sold.”
Since the June court authorization, the AG’s office has received 10 additional complaints about the station’s pricing.
BP corporate responds, refers to individual operators
When Local 4 went inside the station to speak with someone in charge, workers directed the crew to contact BP corporate. Station employees also asked the crew to put down their cameras.
BP’s consumer support team responded with a statement saying the company appreciates concerns being raised but noted that retail gas prices reflect supply and demand — and that individual retail sites, which are independently owned and operated, ultimately set their own prices.
“Many factors contribute to gas prices,” the statement read.
Consumers who want to file a complaint or seek more information are encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team directly.