A DRIVER who was towed despite parking in a legal space has been left in shock after finally getting his car back.
Craig Myers didn’t realize that getting yanked over a little-known rule was just the beginning of his towing nightmare.
Craig Myers was towed in February after parking on the street[/caption]
He didn’t realize that paying for the tow was the least of his problems[/caption]
The drama unfolded when Myers parked his Hyundai on a street in Chicago, Illinois, in February, he told CBS affiliate WBBM.
He knew about a law that bans cars from staying in some areas overnight when there’s snow on the ground, but said there was only two inches on the ground
When he woke up the next morning, he was horrified to find his car missing.
After taking a second look at street signs, he realized that drivers in Chicago can’t park there from 3 am to 7 am from December 1 to April 1, whether there’s snow on the ground or not.
Frustrated but understanding his mistake, Myers started making calls and located where his ride had been impounded.
He got to the operator, paid his fees, and went on his way.
However, when he put the keys in the ignition, Myers was horrified by what happened.
“I turned on the car and it make a loud noise,” he told the outlet.
“I pulled up to the gate where the attendant was standing right there.
“I put it in park, and when I put it in park, the car kept going. They apparently broke the parking pin.”
Myers also claimed that he noticed dents on his bumper and a square-shaped hole with wood inside that weren’t there before the car was towed.
When he took his car to a mechanic to have it looked at, he was horrified after they told him that his transmission had to be replaced.
After analyzing the price of repairs, Myers realized that his car had been totaled.
The driver found surveillance of his car being towed, and it showed the operator dragging the vehicle by its back wheels.
He believed this may have caused damage because the car is all wheel drive.
Myers didn’t realize that cops enforce an overnight parking ban even when it isn’t actively snowing[/caption]
He said his car was damaged during the tow[/caption]
CLAIM DRAMA
Myers filed a damage claim with United Road Towing, which has a 10-year $96 million contract with the city, but the claim was denied.
According to statistics obtained by the outlet, his story isn’t rare.
Just 23% of towing damage claims submitted between 2016 and 2024 were approved, according to the data.
The city paid $166,000 in damages for the 76 claims that were approved.
When URT denied Myers’ claim, they told him, “Our investigation, as sustained by the police tow report, motor vehicle inventory report, tow driver and personnel conclude the damage reported was not the result of any action on the part of our company personnel.
“Therefore, your claim has been denied.”
However, once the local news station started asking questions, the company quickly changed its tune.
A URT executive offered to pay Myers based on the estimated value of his car on Kelly Blue Book.
Finally, Myers was given $3,500 for the damage.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to URT for further comment on the drama.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving 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 a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is 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.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- 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: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
