QuestionQUESTION: What happens to towing and storage fees after an abandoned vehicle is sold at public auction in Killeen,TX.?The last I knew this vehicle which is mine was at a salvage yard in 2002. I am being pursued by a collection agency for over $3,000.00 for the same vehicle being towed, stored, deemed abandoned, which I was never notified of, and sold at public auction in 2006. I never heard of any of this until yesterday Nov. 6,2007, what's up and what if any recourse do I have?
ANSWER: Well I have to ask a question here. A towing yard is different than a salvage yard...
If your vehicle was wrecked and towed to the tow company yard in 2002 and the insurance company paid you off then sold it via a salvage yard to someone else then it should fall back on the insurance company as they become the owner when it was paid off to you for the loss..
Now if it was towed from a wreck (or any other reason really) and then you never picked it up and the tow company did a lien sale on it to gain title to it and allow then to dispose of it you would have a balance due for towing and storage usually...
Now if say either of the above cases happened and the vehicle wound up in say a body shop and got rebuilt and then sold to someone else, who never registered it, then the last registered owner would still be listed as you...
Now say the vehicle was repaired and someone was driving it around and it got either wrecked and towed or parked illegally and towed then it would "NORMALLY" be researched for vehicle owners information which could come back to you.
Key here is why and what happened back in 2002... If it was sold via insurance company or lien sale that might be the key.
BUT if the tow company back in 2002 towed it and never filed any paperwork till 2006 then it seems strange in that aspect but it does happen from time to time that vehicles do sit in tow yards for long times before paperwork is started and filed..
And then it also might be that it was all done legally and the vehicle was sold and scraped or crushed and the tow company is finally getting around to attempting to collect on old debts for towing and storage fees...
I know there is something else here in this question which has no answer here, but I think you can see what is going on...
It all depends on what happened back in 2002.. I hope there are some papers or stuff that you have which can either help you or make it your battle here to fight..
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: This vehicle a '85 Chevy Surburban was towed to the salvage yard by my authority, because it was a piece of junk and my ex could not get it going.
The salvage yard from 2002 is in Kempner, Tx. and is not the towing and storage company seeking the fees that is located in Killeen,Tx. I am doing my homework and also need to know what the process is for a towing and storage company to be able to sell an abandoned vehicle. The DMV doesn't have any VTR or flag saying this vehicle was abandoned. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much for your time and insight.
Answerwell sorry for the delay in getting back to this answer as I have tried to research it a bit more.
But one thing that I do believe would be good is to try and check with a lawyer and see what they say about this.
Sorry I can not help a bit more, but the last link is also a guy who I know has lots of good information and might be able to help with some information. Hope this helps.
here are a few links and information places which do provide some answers..
http://library.findlaw.com/1999/Oct/1/127015.html
http://www.towingexperts.com/index.htm?information-page/index.htm~content
(note check the links pages to go to information pages of various subjects)
