A MAN was left stunned after being hit with a $13,000 bill when he hired a driving service to transport his car.
Richard Boyle, a US Marine veteran and retired FDNY firefighter from Ocean County, New Jersey, hired a transport company to flatbed his car from Florida – in a trip that was supposed to take a mere two days.
A former firefighter’s car was left stuck for months after a transport mishap leaves him with a $13K bill[/caption]
A tow company refused to release car until $13K bill is paid, adding to his woes[/caption]
The car could be clearly seen locked in the yard following an accident[/caption]
But Boyle’s car ended up being stuck in bureaucratic limbo for over two months as, during transport, the truck carrying his car was involved in an accident.
According to a report by ABC7NY, the trailer, along with Boyle’s car, was towed to a yard in Edison, New Jersey, and locked up.
Boyle said: “How could they keep my car? It seems to me it should be illegal to just take my car and not give it to me.”
Boyle, who sadly lost his wife, Linda Lee, to COVID just before their 62nd anniversary, described the car-related ordeal as a “nightmare”.
He revealed how they would drive home from Florida every spring when she was alive, but since he is alone now, he hired a company to transport his car instead.
But his plan went awry when the driver of the truck reportedly got into an accident and the trailer was towed to a yard in Edison – where it’s remained since March.
“They are not turning over the car, I am not going to get my car until they get paid from the insurance company,” Boyle said.
Frustratingly, the tow company’s bill to haul and store the trailer has to be paid first; a bill of $13,000, which is being added to all the time.
Boyle’s daughter Susan Vaughan said: “We contacted the broker and the driver, they would hang up on us.”
ABC7NY spoke to the tow company, called Taylor’s Towing, based in Edison, if it could release Boyle’s car.
“We would love to help him, but there’s not much we can do,” an employee of the company said.
“We can’t go in there, it’s illegal. It all has to do with the owner of the trailer.
“We’ve tried reaching out to him and the insurance company but we are at a stalemate.
“We’ve tried reaching out to him multiple times over the last couple of weeks with no response.”
The outlet also contacted the broker and insurance companies involved.
It was found that the owner of the trailer company who got in the accident had an extensive criminal record – including car theft.
Soon after, the tow company said its bill was satisfied and Boyle’s Lincoln was finally delivered to him.
“I wanted to cry. It was like, it was such a nightmare when I couldn’t believe that it was there,” Boyle said.
The delivery company was later dropped from its insurance, while the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says the company does not have any operating authority and cannot engage in Interstate for-hire business.
The broker did not refund the money but added he is working on a financial gift.
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
