CHARLOTTE, N.C.,None — Charlotte's new towing ordinance has been on the books for months. Now, Eyewitness News has learned that for the first time, two towing company employees are facing charges for violating that ordinance.
"Yes, this is the first arrest we've made for violating the new ordinance," said Major Eddie Levins, who oversees enforcement of the towing law.
Levins told Eyewitness News that police have signed warrants charging two employees of Wheelblockers Towing with those violations after the company allegedly towed cars without the written authorization of the property owner and then demanded cash from owners looking to get their cars back.
"They told us we'd have to pay cash," Hernan Amaya told Eyewitness News. He was one of seven people who reported the incident to police after their cars were towed from a lot in South End during the Greek Festival in September.
"Some of them were very intimidated when they went over there and that's why police were called," Levins said.
Levins also said police have evidence that employees of Wheelblockers forged the signature of the owner of the parking lot on the paperwork authorizing the tows.
"There is evidence that they were not signed by the property owner, but by other people," Levins said, adding that someone with the towing company had in fact signed that paperwork.
A Wheelblockers employee who is not one of those named in the police warrants said Thursday that they were simply doing their jobs -- making sure drivers follow the parking rules.
"Forget us the towing company -- the victim here is the property owner. What about these guys who -- their customers have no places to park," he said.
But Levins said that the company clearly went over the line by towing cars without authorization and holding them for cash.
"We're very sure that the company's aware of the ordinance because they put the proper signage out there, which tells me that they've read the ordinance," he said.
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