Woman’s car held by tow company for 5 months after crash – then she finds out the truth behind the problem
A woman has accused a tow firm of defrauding her after they charged her thousands of dollars and held her car hostage for five months.
Following complaints from several drivers and insurance companies, police launched a financial crime investigation against the towing company and storage facility earlier this week, officials said.
After being in an accident during the summer that left her with a dent and a flat tire, 30-year-old driver Taylor Levely said she dropped off her Honda Civic at the dubious towing firm.
Two companies, A.T. Collision and Legacy Towing, share a storefront in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
After her buddy suggested the company’s services as “easy and convenient,” Levely said she took her car to the establishment on June 28 to exchange it for a rental automobile, she told Torstar affiliate theHamilton Spectator.
The towing firm employee that assisted the driver was described by the driver as “very friendly, spoke about her kids, and made me feel like I could trust her.”
READ MORE TOWING STORIES
She informed me that they would get in touch with my insurance company, get in touch with the collision center, provide them with the crash record, and inform them that I had rented a car, Levely continued.
It took her five months to see the inside of her Civic after she abandoned it in a packed parking lot behind the tire business.
When Levely’s insurance company, Allstate, called her to inquire about reports of the shop’s repairs, she stated that red flags began to appear days after she had left her car at the yard.
She claimed that although I had never signed a work order or even been aware that they had a body shop, they had informed my insurer that they intended to fix the car.
A.T. refused to give her car back when she tried to get it from the walled yard and eventually stopped answering her phone.
Because it’s a hoax, my insurance company advised me to return the rented automobile,” Levely stated.
Man gets car towed in traffic stop – then had to pay $225 to get keys back
In order to sell the vehicle, the towing business requested that the province transfer Levely’s vehicle registration to them in October.
According to an affidavit acquired by the Spectator, the company claimed Levely owed them approximately $6,180, which included $2,500 for canceling the repairs she claimed she never signed and $995 for a tow, despite the fact that she drove her car to the shop herself.
According to Levely, it’s an incentive to grab your money.
In a press release on Monday, Hamilton police stated that they were looking into “predatory business practices” by the tow operators.
What to do if your car is towed
Whether done correctly or not, getting a towed car back can be difficult.
There are a few procedures to follow if your car is towed after you parked in a “No Parking” area or for any other justifiable reason.
What to do if your automobile is being towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
You can challenge the action by taking the following actions if you believe your car was wrongfully towed:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: National General, Oregon Department of Justice, and Rak Law Firm
According to police, one company stores the cars, while the other tows them.
According to reports, the tow drivers arrive at accident scenes and transport damaged vehicles to their lot.
“Hamilton Police are reminding drivers that it is illegal for tow trucks to approach a driver at the scene of a collision unless they have been called by the driver or by police,” the release from the police department stated.
“In Ontario, tow truck operators and vehicle storage providers must abide by a code of conduct and be certified to offer services in Ontario.”
‘HIDE AND SEEK’
Police claim that drivers are charged a “abnormally large sum of money” by the storage facility while their vehicles are being held there.
According to the police, they are refusing to accept releases from insurance companies and registered owners in order to retrieve their vehicle.
According to Detective Sargeant Christian Mukendi, the companies in question have seized vehicles “under false pretenses.”
Mukendi reminded the spectator that tow truck drivers and storage facilities do not have the authority to keep cars and charge customers for them if they are not licensed.
According to him, authorities suspect that tow companies transport vehicles to various locations while their owners attempt to retrieve them.
“They use your car to play hide-and-seek,” he claimed.
SHOCKING CONDITION
After complaining to the police, Levely was able to get her automobile returned from a scrap yard on November 22.
She claimed that after five months of sitting in the lot, the interior of her car was “disgusting” and covered in dirt.
“Animals appeared to have run it over,” she remarked.
Levely claimed the things she left in the car in June vanished in addition to the car’s repulsive interior.
She claimed that the clothes, Lululemon shoes, and Louis Vuitton card holder she had in her car were gone.
“They emptied it completely,” she claimed.
They also stole the Costco-sized oatmeal I had in there. I laughed at that.
She cautioned other motorists to use caution while deciding who will tow or retain their vehicles following collisions.
Read More on The US Sun
We are unable to get in touch with Legacy Towing or A.T. Collision for comment.
The U.S. Sun asked police for an update, but they have not answered.
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