Towing Issues: Towing with no notification afterwards, purdue university police, purdue university police department

Question
City: West Lafayette, INDIANA
Ordered to be towed by Purdue University Police Department

The campus police of Purdue University had my car towed from
a school parking garage after it was discovered that it was
leaking oil. This towing was done three days ago and I only
just found out late this afternoon. When I asked them why
they didn't tell me about it, they gave an answer along the
lines of 'I guess we weren't doing it that day' and 'We
could't find your contact information.' Needless to say, I
find the idea that the police couldn't find my contact
information extremely unbelievable given the fact that they
could have run either the plate, or my campus parking permit
sticker number. Am I liable for the storage charges that the
towing service will charge if the police didn't notify me
that they had had my car towed?

Answer
I really hate these questions as it has several issues which need to be addressed.

First of all, towing notifications are generally a courtesy not a requirement. Sure there are state laws in many areas where the tow company or the police department will send letters notifying you that the vehicle was towed.

Now that being said, lets say that the campus police, did send a letter to the vehicle owner. Now lets say they ran the DMV records and it most likely shows that you lived at home before you went to college and that is where the mail would go..

As to your registering the vehicle with the campus for parking permits, yes that is generally required, and at times people just have brain farts and forget to do things. Or they just do not read the information correctly. Mistakes happen.

But they do not really have to spend the time trying to notify anyone that it will be towed.
Would you like a robber to be able to notify you that he was going to steal your car, break into it, or break into your house. I agree that warning is nice.

Now as to the reason it was towed, it would fall under some environmental rules due to the oil leak. I know there is not that much oil to worry about but the principle of the towing is that, it becomes a major issue after a while with several vehicles leaking.

The oil poses a slip hazard and of course that can turn into possible law suits.

Now as to paying the towing fees, I really got to ask who you think should pay for it?
YOU are the vehicle owner, and as such you are liable for any and all towing and storage charges. That is the law.

Now you can always appeal it in small claims court, or maybe some campus court I do not know about, but evidence is what you will need. Pictures, and all that stuff work great.

Good luck and hope this helps