SEVERAL drivers were left stranded after their vehicles were towed from a Dunkin parking lot near a popular event.
The drivers claimed the store manager allowed them to use the space, but they faced $380 parking fines.
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Thousands of drivers descended on East Charlotte, North Carolina’s Bojangles Coliseum to watch presidential candidate Donald Trump’s recent rally, according to local CBS affiliate WBTV.
Parking around the arena was extremely congested, drivers reported.
Several resorted to a nearby Dunkin parking lot, hoping to use their spaces during the speech.
The drivers claim that they obtained authorization from the store manager to keep their cars in the parking lot.
“The managers inside promised they could park here,” Zander DeSoto, a rally attendee, told the station.
“Some people here even gave money to the people inside.”
Several rally attendees drove hours to attend the event.
One driver said he spent more than three and a half hours on the road to see Trump speak.
But when they returned to the Dunkin parking lot after the speech, their cars were gone.
“Something very suspicious [is] happening here,” an anonymous driver told the station.
“I’ve never seen anything like this happen before.”
A local towing company picked up cars during Trump’s event.
The company said the parking lot had several signs warning that vehicles would be towed if drivers were not at the store.
He also claimed to have received a call from the Dunkin manager asking for the vehicles to be removed.
Drivers said they had to pay $380 in fines to get their cars off the towing company’s lot.
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
A group of stranded drivers called local police to Dunkin’ asking for help.
The police said they could not help. Instead, they brought several drivers to the towing location to pick up their cars.
“The entire parking lot is gone… everyone,” another anonymous driver alleged to the police station.
“They locked the doors, didn’t answer our calls and didn’t even answer the window.”
Dunkin’ did not respond to The US Sun’s request for comment.
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