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DRIVERS who were wrongfully towed by criminal operators can get a piece of a massive $500,000 pot.
Private Property Impound was caught yanking thousands of cars from private properties and illegally charging drivers to get them back.
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The Oakland, California-based company has been ordered to shell out nearly $1,000,000 for their thoughtless crimes, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
Half will go to those victimized by the operators, $75,000 will be used to hire a firm to contact victims, and $333,000 has already been paid to the California Franchise Tax Board.
Wayne Daniel Russo Jr, 37, and Stephanie Marie Gipson, 36, pled no contest to a misdemeanor charge and were found guilty of felony tax evasion.
They will pay back around 8,000 drivers.
District Attorney Pamela Price blasted illegal towing after the decision was reached and warned operators they could face a similar fate.
“Illegal towing disproportionately affects our community’s most vulnerable residents, for whom the family car can be a lifeline to attend work, get their kids to school, and seek medical care,” she said.
Private Property Impound was publicly accused of illegal towing in a damning 2018 report from Oakland newspaper East Bay Express.
Couple Coyote Bryant and Kristina Thesken said they parked at a discount store across from a restaurant to pick up dinner, and their car was yanked in just 11 minutes.
Private Property Impound had towed the car, and charged the couple a ridiculous $470 to get it back.
The discount store had hired the company to monitor the lot, but the operators didn’t provide the couple with written authorization for the private tow or a copy of its towing fees.
All of these are required by law.
At the time, the drivers took the company to small claims court, joining over a dozen others who were disputing tows.
“They are essentially stealing people’s cars,” Bryant said then.
“And if they don’t have the resources to get their car back, then it gets sold.”
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
ILLEGAL TOWS
Drivers who feel their car was illegally towed can file a complaint against the company, but they must act quickly.
First, it’s crucial to gather as many documents as possible that support your claim, including photos, emails, receipts, and witness statements.
Then, it’s advised to approach the tow company with your findings and see if the fines can be dropped without the need for law enforcement.
If the company doesn’t respond well, you can contact your local Justice of the Peace, which is often well-equipped to handle towing issues.
If that doesn’t work, drivers are advised to hire a lawyer.
The towing drama comes after another driver was charged $260 after they were yanked while riding on a train to work.
And a tattoo shop got revenge after its neighbor kept towing clients.
