‘We Were There Less Than an Hour,’ Screams Driver Towed and Fined $350 Despite Paying — City Confirmed She Was Right

A WOMAN whose car was towed after paying to park near a sports stadium had to hand over more than $350 to get it home.

But there was confusion over the huge fine, as her car was only impounded less than an hour ago in Missouri.

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Aurora Paolicchi said The Kansas City Star that she met up with friends at River Market for brunch in mid-March.

However, she didn’t know there would be a Kansas City Current season opener at the team’s new CPKC stadium.

Paolicchi paid $25 to park in a lot near the 11,000-seat stadium — the first stadium built for a National Women’s Soccer League club.

But her car – along with other parked vehicles – disappeared when she returned from brunch.

She discovered that he had been transported by Autobot Towing to the company’s warehouse.

Paolicchi said she later became involved in a difficult conversation with staff there after her friend took her to the parking lot in Independence to retrieve her vehicle.

She claimed she tried to reason with the Autobot after he told her she couldn’t return the car unless she paid hundreds of dollars for the storage fee – despite it being stuck there for less than an hour.

“It ended up costing $350 and the car was parked there for less than an hour,” she said.

She was cleared a few days later when the Independence City Council changed its codes for towing companies.

BIG FINES

Tow truck operators who break the new rules could be fined up to $500 – or end up in prison for up to 180 days.

“The City Council wishes to strengthen the operating standards of towing companies to protect the well-being of residents of Independence and the metropolitan region as a whole,” its statement said. change he stated.

“It is necessary to enact regulations for towing service businesses in order to prevent such businesses from becoming detrimental to the safety and well-being of city residents and the people who patronize such businesses.”

That meant the city would be “putting some protections in place for consumers and just helping towing companies operate on a level playing field,” said Zach Walker, city manager.

SLIDED OFF THE ROAD

The stricter rules were approved after support from local residents — and even Independence City Council member Brice Stewart.

Stewart told The Star he sympathized after a tow truck driver charged him $400 for just 30 minutes of work — but wouldn’t accept credit card payment.

The councilor was rescued by a tow truck after his vehicle slipped on an icy road.

He had to drive to the nearest ATM to get the money.

“There are a lot of people who can’t come up with $400 in cash, especially in the middle of the night,” he said.

“And if they don’t have friends or family who can lend it to them, their car could sit on the trailer for a few days, racking up even more fees – I think that’s just a bad way to go. .”

What to do if you are 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

The publication gave its weight to the campaign, publishing an opinion article by Toriano Porter.

He said Kansas City area residents were receiving large bills.

“Autobot only accepts cash payments from people to retrieve their vehicles from its parking lot in Independence.

“Per Kansas City municipal code, a towing service must accept credit or debit cards and travelers checks in addition to U.S. currency.”

Last year, Porter urged city chiefs to investigate “how Autobot and other private towing companies in the metro area operate in and around the River Market and other entertainment districts.”

The council has now stipulated that it is illegal for tow trucks to transport vehicles involved in accidents if they have not been called by emergency crews or victims.

“The presence of a person engaged in the towing business as an owner, operator, employee or agent, at the scene of an accident or disabled vehicle within one hour (after the incidents), or not having been called to the scene by an enforcement agency of law, or the owner, operator, passenger…is…evidence of solicitation in violation of this section,” the new rules state.

CONVICTIONS

Towing companies were required to clearly label their vehicles with their business name and phone number.

The police chief will be responsible for the route of the tow trucks for calls.

“Anyone who has violated… or who neglects or fails to comply… will be guilty of a violation of the law,” he added.

“And upon conviction (they) shall be fined not less than $250 and not more than $500, or punished by imprisonment not exceeding 180 days, or punished by both such fine and imprisonment.

“Any towing service company that tows a motor vehicle from a location within the city must take the vehicle to a depot from which towed vehicles can be retrieved 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”