A MOTHER is searching for answers after city officials and a towing company towed two of her vehicles from her driveway, leaving her with a $7,000 bill.
Keyanna Dorsey, a mother-of-four with two jobs, said police in University City, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, and a towing company showed up at her home unexpectedly and hauled away her vehicles without explanation.
“I’m still in the dark,” Dorsey told NBC affiliate KSDK.
Dorsey said her third vehicle was damaged when officials towed the other two.
“They just dropped it,” she added.
However, University City denied damaging the other vehicle, but Dorsey said she’s still seeking answers about why her cars were towed in the first place.
Dorsey said the police department directed her questions to the county.
The mother did a quick dive into whether or not she had any unpaid parking tickets but did not find any.
“All my property taxes are paid,” she added.
When KSDK reached out to the City of University City, they were told Dorsey’s two cars were seized because they were unlicensed.
“Towing actions are carried out in accordance with strict rules and policies, which address a variety of circumstances such as public safety, traffic violations, improperly registered and abandoned vehicles, and more,” University City police said.
“Hartmann’s Towing and Car Care is an independent contractor engaged by the City to perform services.
“Hartmann Towing charges vehicle owners for towing services.”
However, Dorsey disputed those claims, “I had plates on the vehicle. I’m getting ripped off.”
Dorsey told the news outlet she’s stuck with over $7,000 in towing and storage fees.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she said.
“You don’t expect something like this to happen to you.”
University City police said its attorneys were in contact with Dorsey’s lawyer to try to resolve the issue and get both her vehicles registered and licensed.
The department defended its towing procedure, stating that vehicles are released by the independent towing company upon providing proof of ownership and payment of its standard fees.
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
