Towing Issues: impound/storage fees on stolen car, district attorneys office, tow yard

Question
Isn't there some kind of fee relief in Everett, Washington when an impounded car is called in as stolen? One of my customers, a single dad, unemployed, no more unemployment benefits, moved back with mom got his car stolen twice in a week. First time Everett Police called and told him he had 1/2 hour to get it before it was impounded. He got here, showed IUD, got the car and was happy. Week later,car stolen again. The car is called in by an apartment manager to get towed (not knowing it was a stolen car) Tow yard picks it up, calls it in and was informed it was a stolen car.. Guy goes to pick it up and they want $220 for impound and $95 day storage.  He will lose the car, lose any hope of getting a job, lose his ability to drive infant daughter anywhere (doctor, daycare) I thought I heard where they passed a law helping victims of auto theft out of jams like these. Tow yard
could care less about him and his life. In defense of them I'm sure they hear it 20 times a day and have to build a level of immunity to the stories or they'd go broke. Any help?

Answer
Well unless there has been a huge change in the laws in Washington I am not aware of any laws regarding relief on towing charges for stolen vehicles.

I do see attempts at laws to provide that on lots of City and State levels but it does not go far. Most of the time it is driven by the insurance companies trying to get that passed so they do not have to pay claims for stolen vehicles and as such get to keep more money.
But I will not go into that battle here.
I did a fast search for any laws regarding towing stolen vehicles and could not find anything which would help in this case. But then there is the local District Attorneys office which as times has programs which help victims of crimes and they might be able to help with this issue.

Now it sounds as if the first time the Everett PD did the right thing and called the owner, but when a vehicle is impounded from private property for illegal parking it becomes a whole other issue.

Under Washington laws the property owner calls for a tow truck to remove the vehicle and the tow company calls the Police after they get it back to their yard and notifies them it was towed and gets some information on the owner so they can mail letters as required by law. At that point it is when they would generally find out it was stolen.

And yes tow companies here that story all the time and you are right they get immune to it.

Now I am guessing that the owner of the vehicle does not have full coverage insurance which would help pay the towing fees, and I guess that they only have the state minimum level since you told me their condition.
That is a choice which the vehicle owner takes and decides how much they want to be responsible for.


hope this helps a bit.