‘Nothing I can do’ driver fumes after his car was 'illegally' towed

A DRIVER said he took a tow company to court after he believed his car was wrongly taken away in the middle of the night.

Scott Miller said he had gone to see his friend in Dallas, Texas, and parked in the visitors’ parking area.

Scott Miller said he believed his car was unfairly towedCredit: FOX 4 NEWSThe driver said his car was taken away in the middle of the nightCredit: FOX 4 NEWSHe explained that he had gone to visit his friend in Dallas, TexasCredit: FOX 4 NEWS

Miller said his car was unexpectedly taken that night from the Overlook Ranch apartments.

The driver claimed that there were no signs in the lot that said visitors had to register their vehicles, according to FOX affiliate KDFW.

Miller was angered by the process he took to get his car back.

“I am forced to pay when they take my car regardless of their right to take my car,” he said.

Miller claimed that his December 6, 2019, tow was illegal and took the issue to the courts a month later, according to KDFW.

The driver said he had taken pictures of the parking lot the next morning to supposedly show that no parking restriction signs were present.

Miller also alleged that his friend, whom he had visited that day, showed him a letter the parking firm had sent them before the incident.

"Visitors must use designated visitor parking -- no permit required," the letter reportedly said.

A Denton County justice of the peace ruled in Miller's favor and ordered the company, Innovative Parking Management, to pay back the driver’s tow and court fees.

Miller described the legal process as a lengthy one.

‘It’s an error,’ rages driver who paid $50 to park legally but was towed & fined $200 – getting answers was ‘impossible’

“It took me, with decent amount of resources online, probably five hours of research to figure out where and how to file, let alone running to the court and actually dealing with it,” he said.

Miller claimed, at the time, that six weeks had passed since the judgment and he had not received his money back.

“They can inflict an unlimited financial impact on me, while there is nothing I can do other than drag them into court, wasting a little of their time over and over again,” he said.

The owner of Innovative Parking Management told KDFW that he disagreed with the court’s judgment.

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

He also added a check should have been sent to Miller as they "resolve those quickly."

It is unclear whether the issue has since been resolved. 

Other drivers have complained about tows they deemed unfair, according to The U.S. Sun.

A hospice nurse said her vehicle was taken away 30 minutes after she reached a patient's property.

“I felt like things were not right,” the nurse said.

The U.S. Sun has reached out to Innovative Parking Management for comment.

Miller told the courts that there were no signs that prohibited visitors from parking where he didCredit: FOX 4 NEWSThe court ruled in Miller's favorCredit: FOX 4 NEWS

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