Motorists: Cars towed improperly during Cotton Bowl

[Ags2000]

http://www.wfaa.com/s/dws/wfaa/bship....79417dd4.html

Motorists: Cars towed improperly during Cotton Bowl
12:10 AM CST on Wednesday, January 5, 2005
By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA-TV

A large group of upset motorists is planning to fight back and possibly file a lawsuit against a Dallas-based towing company.

The drivers said they were duped into parking on private property during Saturday's Cotton Bowl game, then towed by trucks from Elite Towing - a violation of city codes.

The scene out in front of the Elite impound lot on Saturday was a familiar one: angry motorists claiming their cars were illegally towed.

"We were almost mad enough that we would have had people storming the fence," said Greg Morgan.

Morgan is one of two dozen motorists who said they were lured into parking on a church parking lot a few blocks from Fair Park, where the bowl game was played.

"The lady had a sign out (that said) parking for $5," motorist Jim Hilbert said. "She told us she was with the church, so again we assumed by parking there we'd be safe."

None of those towed said they saw tow company signs posted - as required by law - until after they noticed their cars were gone.

What's more, city codes stipulate that a tow truck sign must be posted near the entrance of a parking lot; these signs were not. Also, the bottom of the sign must be no lower than five feet off the ground; these signs were not. The signs at the church measure only about two feet, nine inches.

According to James Mosser, the attorney for Elite Towing, the city's signage requirements have been declared illegal by an appellate court. He also showed News 8 a contract between the church and Elite Towing indicating the signs were posted two days earlier.

"I think if you look at the signs and you look at the location, there's nobody who didn't know that the signs were there," Mosser said.

Still, a complaint has been filed with the City of Dallas, and officials said they will enforce the codes to the fullest.

"Their permits can be revoked if they are consistently in violation of the law, so they can be put out of business," said John Brunk, Dallas assistant director of transportation planning.

That's exactly what these upset motorists want to see.

"I'd like to see this place shut down," Hilbert said.


Man...what some people will do for money. I hope the church is brought in on the lawsuit as well as the city b/c the city new the church and this tow company had done this EXACT same thing in the past.

D