A WOMAN has received a string of anonymous threats after refusing to pay a hefty fee when her car was towed from outside her home.
Ahmani Lewis, a single mother from Kansas City, Missouri, recently had her car taken from a parking bay located in an apartment complex she lives in.
She later discovered that her vehicle, a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze, had been taken by a tow truck from Downtown Towing and Recovery.
Speaking to FOX4KC, she said: “They stole my vehicle from this parking spot right here.
“I was carrying my baby to take her to day care, and I came outside and my car was gone.
“So, I was like freaking out because ‘where’s my car?’, I don’t know where my car is.”
It later emerged she was parked in a handicapped spot, and found that the tow company wanted $405 before they would give her back her car.
However, upon visiting the company’s lot, she showed one of the employees a handicapped placard clearly displayed inside her car.
Lewis said: “I went to my car and showed her I had a handicapped placard in my car, which she said was the reason it had been towed.”
With that, she was able to leave and didn’t have to pay the fee, but it didn’t take long for her to start receiving anonymous threats sent to her phone.
One such threat said: “I’m going to turn your car into a refrigerator; I know where you lay your head, so keep that head on a swivel.
“You won’t have your Cruze very much longer.”
Lewis said: “I’m very terrified, for somebody knowing they can come and take from you and nothing can be done is very, very, traumatizing.”
Days later, her car disappeared from the apartment lot, with no report filed to the police that it had been towed.
“It’s very unbelievable. I’ve never been without my car,” Lewis said.
“And I’m a really good mom. Like I do, I go to work. I have my own business.”
But thanks to the use of her in-car tracker, she was able to see that her car was back parked at the storage lot of Downtown Towing.
A friend was also able to fly a drone over the lot to spot the Chevrolet Cruze parked in the same spot as before.
Now, after filing a lawsuit against Downtown Towing and Recovery, Lewis will act as her own attorney due to a lack of funds, with her next court date on March 11.
Since spotting the Chevrolet Cruze from the drone, the car has disappeared from the parking lot, while the car’s tracking system has seemingly been removed.
It comes as a consumer spokesperson for the Public Interest Research Group, Theresa Murray, revealed the results of a survey on so-called ‘predatory towing’.
In the process, Murray found that Missouri was the place for the highest volume of complaints relating to predatory towing.
What’s more, Murray revealed that one of the worst places in the state was the Kansas City area.
In many cases, cars in the state are towed without notifying local police, as is required.
What’s more, some tows had bogus towing permission documents that made it appear that someone from the parking property had requested the car’s removal.
Towing companies were also found to delay customers from getting their vehicles back – by claiming a variety of excuses.
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
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