‘I thought my car had been stolen’, towed driver cries while paying her taxes – she had proof, but still had to pay

A WOMAN was just meters away when her car was towed, despite having proof she was not in the wrong.

Geanna Boykin of Chicago, Illinois, was paying her taxes when she went out and found her car missing.

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“I left an hour and 15 minutes later, [and] I thought my car had been stolen,” she told the NBC affiliate. WMAQ-TV.

Her car was towed by Rokaitis Towing, a private company.

To recover her vehicle, Boykin had to pay a $218 fee, however, she was able to provide proof that the tow should not have happened.

Rokaitis Towing was found to be in violation by the Illinois Commerce Commission, which sided with Boykin.

She eventually received a refund of the fee, however, Rokaitis avoided the refund requirement by paying a $100 fine.

This canceled an administrative process Law hearing in which the violations would have been supervised by a judge.

An ICC spokesperson told the outlet that in order for state regulators to require a towing company to issue a refund, the violation must be proven in an administrative process. Law hearing.

However, if the company chooses to pay the fine, no hearing will be held.

“A relocator [tow company] it could be ordered by the Commission to refund towing or storage fees to the payer, after proper notice and hearing,” an Illinois statute said.

The ICC spokesperson compared this to a driver receiving a traffic ticket and paying the fine to avoid going to court.

Fines against towing companies that commit illegal towing were recently increased a few years ago, the ICC said.

However, consumer refunds are still considered voluntary unless a formal administrative decision Law the audition takes place.

But the ICC said a person can still fight for a refund in small claims court.

Jermall Harvey had his car towed in October 2022.

“I thought, ‘You can’t tow my car!’” he said, recalling the Wicker Park incident. “‘You’re illegally towing my car!'”

What to do if your car is towed

Unfairly or not, recovering 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 some steps you can take to get it back.

Steps to follow when your car is towed:

• Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may restrict the phone numbers to be dialed.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.

If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:

• Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
• Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
• Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
• Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
• Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
• Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm

He was parked in the parking lot below his office when his co-worker told him a tow truck was pulling up to his car.

Harvey was seen on surveillance footage running toward the tow truck, but the driver hit the gas and drove away.

A passenger in the tow truck even pointed a gun at Harvey, Chicago said Police

The passenger was later arrested for an aggravated misdemeanor.

“It’s been really frustrating,” Harvey said.

“What’s going to change this? Who’s going to change this?”