A MAN has been left without his car for two years after it was towed away during a routine traffic stop.
Armand Bradley, 34, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, says his Mitsubishi Mirage was taken away and impounded in May 2023 by local police after he was charged with operating a vehicle without the proper paperwork.
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But after two years, his vehicle is still nowhere to be found.
Now, in a class-action lawsuit, the borough is being accused of improperly towing, impounding and – possibly – disposing of hundreds of cars.
According to the legal complaint filed January 10 in federal court, Bradley didn’t receive notice from Brookhaven or the towing operator, Lampert’s Garage, regarding his car’s location or how to recover it.
The complaint read: “None of them ever received any notice of their vehicles’ status or location, nor information on how to reclaim their vehicles, nor an opportunity to appear to dispute or otherwise reclaim their vehicles.”
The plaintiff alleges that the borough violated his right to due process and unlawfully seized his property, while also committing an act of negligence.
He is now seeking damages for himself and others who were impacted.
David Stanoch, an attorney with Honik Law representing Bradley, said: “Folks often hear about a class-action lawsuit and may be familiar with it by receiving postcards in the mail that they’ve purchased a product years ago and maybe they’ll get a few bucks back.
“This one looks and feels different, doesn’t it?
“This one certainly has a much more personal and understandable impact on many individuals.”
Speaking to WHYY News, Brookhaven Borough Council President Terry Heller said he believes around 280 vehicles have been sold or scrapped.
Heller added: “If proven, the illegal towing of vehicles undermines public trust and disregards civil and constitutional rights.
“We are disgusted by these actions and will work to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
The wide-reaching investigation has raged on for months and even resulted in the resignation of Police Chief Michael Vice in September.
It found that, before January 2023, Brookhaven used Steve Luongo’s Towing, Inc. as its contractor for towing away and impounding vehicles involved in various incidents.
However, Heller said the relationship with the firm ended after “unsubstantiated” complaints from police leadership.
The lawsuit then found that they turned to Lampert’s Garage – despite them not possessing a salvor’s license.
The plaintiff says both Brookhaven and Lampert’s Garage failed to create or maintain the records necessary for towed vehicles.
The complaint added: “The number of vehicles towed and impounded by Brookhaven sharply increased upon Lampert’s hiring.
“Between January 2023 and the spring of 2024, approximately 775 vehicles appear to have been towed.
“This was several times more than the number of vehicles towed in prior years.”
From there, the council ended the contract with Lampert’s in April 2024.
Brookhaven has since re-contracted with Steve Luongo’s Towing, Inc.
Heller added: “This matter is just one of several atrocities that may have occurred here that the current majority have been fighting, and it certainly explains why there was a concerted effort to target the majority of the Brookhaven Council and overturn our local government.
“If I directly oversaw the Brookhaven Police Department, I would rightfully resign.
“Fortunately, our resolve was unwavering, and we are making the proper decisions and moving forward.”
