A DRIVER has been slammed with wrongful fines after an auto repair shop kept his car hostage.
The dealership kept the car for over a year and a half — racking up nearly $2,000 in tickets.
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Louis Denory’s Ford Flex was towed to a car repair store called A9’s Automotive in April 2023, as reported by CBS News.
The Brooklyn resident said for the next year and a half, he was unable to receive his car from the shop.
“They would give excuses, talking about ‘Oh, the parts, there was a delay on the parts.’ This and that there, and then the guy talking about he had a death in the family, the owner of it, and nobody knew where the car was,” Denory said.
Only two months after Denory’s car was brought in, A9’s Automotive had begun operating under a new LLC called State to State Automotive.
Despite the name change, Denory said he was still dealing with the same people trying to get his car back.
Even as his car was being held hostage, the Brooklyn resident was getting fined thousands of dollars for parking violations.
New York City’s finance department mailed him over $2,000 in tickets for illegal parking along Atlantic and Nostrand Avenues.
Finally, Denory turned to CBS News reporter Tim McNicholas to investigate the issue.
After confronting an employee at the auto shop, Denory and McNicholas learned that the car had been moved to a lot near 86th Street and Foster Avenue.
According to CBS News, the lot owners were trying to have State and State vacate their property to no avail.
The auto repair employee took a hostile tone when talking to Denory.
After demanding that he pay hefty storage fees, the employee threatened Denory, saying he wouldn’t get his car back otherwise.
Denory is not the auto shop’s first victim.
Other drivers in the area have also complained about State to State Automotive and their deceptive business tactics.
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
But Denory, a retired custodian, said he felt compelled to fight for the car.
When McNicholas and Denory arrived at the lot, his precious car was parked pretty close to the exit.
After calling his insurance for assistance, Denory was able to jumpstart the Ford Flex and drive home.
The Brooklyn native said he was extremely grateful to McNicholas for his help in retrieving the vehicle after nearly a year and a half.
“I really thank you for everything, you and your partner [videographer Dana Riccardi],” Denory told McNicholas. “You have a blessed day, sir.”
State to State Automotive did not immediately reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
