‘The price changed’, driver cries after 40 cars are towed – the company charged an extra $130, but the city says its hands are tied

FORTY cars were towed during a major event, a towing company tried to charge $120 more than the legal limit for recovery.

A towing company claims it has never charged above the legal limit – but video evidence says otherwise.

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Nearly 40 drivers in Omaha, Nebraska were devastated to find their cars towed during their Cinco De Mayo celebration.

Three towing companies patrolled private land a block from the festivities and told NBC affiliate WOW there was ample warning for drivers.

The lot owner requires that drivers have a permit to park on the lot and has several signs at each entrance warning drivers not to park their vehicles during the event or they will be towed.

Scott Brown, a tow truck driver for one of the companies that removes cars, said most were parked there illegally.

“Those who were towed did not have passes and should not have been there,” he said.

“They were properly towed with permission.”

Brown confirmed he towed about eight vehicles from the lot, although the other two companies towed more.

He estimated about 40 cars were removed from the parking lot.

Victoria Miller, one of several drivers who had her car towed, took responsibility for not seeing the license plate.

“It was my fault,” she said.

However, she was very skeptical of the recovery price that was quoted by Evolution Towing.

On camera with reporter Mike McKnight, she called the towing company’s office to ask about the recovery rate.

A woman’s voice was recorded saying $320.

The city of Omaha has laws in place that state towing companies cannot charge customers more than $200 and cannot charge more than $15 per day when a vehicle is stored on the lot.

A fee of $320 would be illegal, as it is $120 more than the legal limit.

After WOWT got involved, Miller said the price dropped to $187.

“They changed the value a few times when we started receiving [6 News] involved and everyone else,” she said.

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 narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
• 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

McKnight called the number called by Miller and was told the recovery fee would also be $320 in cash.

Kevin Simp, city attorney, said the price increase would indeed be illegal — but more people would need to come forward to testify against the towing company.

“We need people who are willing to file a complaint with the police department and ultimately show up in court and testify that they were charged more than what is authorized in city law,” he said.

The agency contacted Evolution Towing, and although they didn’t want to go on camera, the owner said if someone charged the $320, he would fix the situation.

The US Sun turned to Evolution Towing for comment.