WSVN — Sadly it’s happened to many of us. Your vehicle is towed, but what happened to one young man is really unusual. His brand new tires were exchanged with older tires… but how do you prove it and what can you do about it? It’s why they called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.
It’s the phone call no-one wants to get…
Jackie Velazquez: "My heart! You just don’t know what to do. My son was on his way home and was involved in an accident. A gentleman turned left directly right in front of him."
Most importantly, Christopher was OK… his truck was a wreck.
Jackie Velazquez: "Because it wasn’t drivable."
The truck was taken to a tow company’s lot where pictures were snapped by the insurance company. Notice the tires… they had been a present for Christopher.
Jackie Velazquez: "It was $1,000 for the tires for him to get four new tires. Here you go. This is your advancement of a Christmas present and birthday present."
The insurance company then decided the truck was officially a wreck.
Jackie Velazquez: "The vehicle is totaled, but we were allowed by the insurance company if we wanted to go and remove anything they were totaling the car."
Jackie and her son wanted to get those $1,000 tires that had just been put on the truck… and got a surprise.
Jackie Velazquez: "The tires themselves had been completely changed out, he had brand new tires on his vehicle– brand new expensive tires. They were Michelin tires and when he went back, he noticed he had dry rotted tires put on his vehicle."
These are tires when the truck was towed in… these are the tires on the truck now. Notice the different pattern on the older tires with what appears to be the same rims… and that’s not all.
Jackie Velazquez: "His trailer hitch was removed from the back of the truck along with some personal items he had left in there. Those items were all gone."
Since Christopher works on a boat 12 hours a day, Jackie was the one to call the towing company to find out what had happened.
Jackie Velazquez: "And I tried to work with them. I sent them copies of the pictures they clearly see things have been changed out. They don’t really have an answer for it."
Didn’t have an answer and didn’t agree to pay for the missing tires and trailer hitch, but Howard, legally, is the towing company responsible to the missing or stolen items?
Howard Finkelstein: "When the towing company took possession of the vehicle that created what the law calls a bailment– and that means because the truck is in the possession of the towing company they have to protect it. And if something happens to it, financially they are responsible."
We spoke to a representative from Downtown Towing. He told us he didn’t know how the tires got exchanged. He called it a real head scratcher– that they had video cameras but he hadn’t checked them yet. Then he agreed to pay the Velazquez’s for the missing items… $1,274 to be exact.
Howard Finkelstein: "This is a great example of why pictures are so important. They proved definitely that those tires were swapped out and the hitch removed."
Jackie Velazquez: "My husband was able to go over and pick up a check and I think we are very satisfied."
The pictures made it clear, the new tires had been swapped with old tires… and because of that, the Velazquez’s got that check from the towing company.
Jackie Velazquez: "I would call Help Me Howard again in a second, everybody needs to call Help Me Howard. I wouldn’t be where I am right now without you guys."
Now if a business has your property, there are times when they are not responsible if something like this happens… but they would have to prove they were not negligent. In other words, someone broke into and stole it or a tornado destroyed the vehicle. In those cases, the company does not have to replace the property.
Towing a problem around that’s wrecking your spirit? Wanna hitch up with us? Contact us. It’s no accident we help people… we are driven to do it. With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
E-mail: helpmeHoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
On Twitter: @helpmehoward7