A DRIVER is speaking out, claiming a towing company charged him $1,500 following a vehicle accident.
Jo Carlo said her Lexus was destroyed after the crash, but police were unable to help.
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Carlo was driving on the Schuylkill Expressway near Philadelphia when a stolen BMW SUV crashed into his car, according to the local ABC affiliate. WPVI.
“All of a sudden, I was hit,” she said.
“I was dragged 250 feet. I almost fell into the wall.”
Carlo said she and another passenger were able to get out of the vehicle without help.
She also said police avoided the accident while trying to arrest the drivers of the stolen BMW.
Then she said a tow truck arrived at the scene.
“The tow truck driver told me they were on rotation at the police department,” she said.
“That’s why I didn’t call 911.”
However, the towing company was not part of the police rotation, according to the department.
Towing companies hired by police can only charge $215 to tow vehicles after an accident.
Towing companies may also charge drivers a $25 daily storage fee.
However, Carlo received a bill for $1,500 the day after the accident.
After some communication with the towing company, she negotiated the bill to $850.
“I wasn’t giving them $800,” she complained to the police station.
“They’re out of their minds.”
Ultimately, the towing company returned Carlo’s car for free. She said the company was intimidated by the media presence.
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
“He said we’re going to get this out of here,” she said.
“We want the news station out of here. Get them out of here. We don’t want any trouble.”
The towing manager told the station he could not comment on fees.
The US Sun also reached out to the towing company for comment on this article.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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