EAST CLEVELAND — Donnell Wilson believes East Cleveland's aggressive towing and impound fees caused him to unfairly lose his 1997 Chevrolet Express van to a scrap yard after it was towed away more than two years ago.
Wilson is calling for a change in East Cleveland city law after he said his van was unfairly towed from in front of his East Cleveland business, and then after months of battling with city hall, he was being billed more than $700 in impound fees. Wilson told News 5 months later that he was told his van was mistakenly sent to the scrap yard, and the city was only offering him $250 in losses on a van he believes was worth more than $2,000.
“Hundreds in impound fees, I’m not paying that, for what, I parked may vehicle in front of my business and you take it from me," Wilson said. “It was a pretty decent van, everything in it was brand new from the motor, transmission, hardwood floors, paint job.”
East Cleveland City Council President Twon Billings told News 5 Wilson is far from alone, with dozens of vehicles being held at the city impound lot and several East Cleveland vehicle owners calling him about the tough city towing and impound policy.
Billings said he plans to open a full investigation and will work to get city law changed to protect low-income families from potentially losing their only mode of private transportation.
"I wouldn't want that to be done to me, they’ll come and then my car gets towed and then I got to pay $300, that’s ridiculous," Billings said. “We are capitalizing on people’s misery and I feel like that’s wrong, and I can’t imagine I wake up and my car is taken up out of my driveway.”
Billings challenged East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King about the city towing and impound policy during a recorded Feb. 20 city council meeting.
During the meeting Mayor King defended the current city ordinance and told council members the strict towing and impound policy is needed to combat a large number of abandoned vehicles citywide. King said anyone who believes their vehicle has been unjustly towed and is being unfairly held should visit his office.
East Cleveland Law Director Willa Hemmons sent News 5 a copy of the city ordinance that runs in connection with the Ohio Revised Code, stating any vehicle is considered abandoned and subject to being towed if it's parked for more than 72 consecutive hours on private property without permission.
The ordinance also made it clear a vehicle owner is sent a notice to their last known address, and if the owner doesn't respond within ten days, the city has the right to take possession of the vehicle.
News 5 reached out to Mayor King by email and phone for a specific comment on this issue, but we're still waiting for a response.
Meanwhile, Wilson believes the law must be changed and is unfairly hurting low-income families who are finding it difficult to pay large impound fees in such a short period of time.
“Oh the changes have to be made, they can’t keep doing stuff like this," Wilson said. "I needed my van, I had that van like ten years and I had planned on keeping it another ten years.”
News 5 will follow through on this developing story.
