Residents furious over towing fees after winter storm
Some drivers in Hall County are furious after they were forced to pay hundreds of bucks to get their cars back. After the snow storm, like so many other drivers in parts of metro Atlanta, they decided to leave them because of the dangerous driving conditions. And the cars weren’t there when they came back.
HALL COUNTY, Ga. – One driver in Hall County feels like she was taken for a ride after being charged hefty fees to retrieve cars towed during this week’s winter storm.
Some residents call it an unfair exploitation of a bad situation.
Hall County driver caught in winter storm
What they’re saying:
“I just think that they took advantage of the people in a, in a bad situation,” said Kellie James, a Hall County resident.
James’ daughter was driving on Blackjack Road when she encountered dangerous conditions. “She was stopped because there was so much traffic that couldn’t move. And, people were slipping and sliding all over the place,” said James.
Cars towed after snow storm
What we know:
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office reports that 31 cars were towed after being abandoned during the winter storm. Emergency responders could not access the roads due to the abandoned vehicles, they said.
The backstory:
Many drivers throughout metro Atlanta left their cars due to treacherous conditions on the road. According to James, some local residents helped her daughter move the car to the shoulder for safety, but it was towed by morning. In other areas, like Lilburn in Gwinnett County, abandoned cars were towed to the police station free of charge.
“It seemed like they should have had a little bit of mercy because it wasn’t even there 24 hours,” said Kellie James.
Cars blocking right-of-way after winter storm
The other side:
A Hall County Sheriff’s spokesperson explained that, even though some cars were moved to the shoulder, they were still in the right-of-way, blocking emergency vehicle access.
“Emergency vehicles were unable to adequately access the roads to make them safe for travel,” the spokesperson said.
Hall County deputies recommend that drivers completely move their cars off the road if they must abandon them during an emergency.
They also urge drivers to call dispatch to report it.
The Source: FOX 5’s Rob DiRienzo spoke with some Hall County residents who had their cars towed following a historic snow storm this week. He also spoke with a spokesperson for the Hall County Sheriff’s Office about vehicles being towed off the roadways.
