🚨 $7.1M Awarded After Food Truck Held Hostage for 699 Days – Towing Company in Hot Grease

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

💥 Introduction: This Ain’t Just About a Food Truck

Imagine this: you park your food truck for the night, get towed by a private company, and instead of getting it back the next day, they **hold it for almost 700 days**. No court order, no proper notice, and no real way to get it back without paying through the nose.

That’s exactly what happened to one woman in California, and now a jury just slapped the tow company with a $7.1 million verdict. 😳

Let’s break it down—because this ain’t just about a taco truck. This case shines a spotlight on predatory towing, shady impounds, and how regular folks (including truckers) can get wrecked by red tape and rogue tow outfits.

🍴 What Happened? A Food Truck Held Hostage

The incident started when a woman’s food truck, legally parked in Los Angeles, was towed in 2017. The truck wasn’t just a ride—it was her **business, livelihood, and life savings**.
Here’s the chain of chaos:

A private towing company impounded the vehicle over what they claimed were unpaid fees.

Instead of properly notifying her or going through due legal process, the company held onto the truck for nearly two years (699 days, to be exact).

During that time, she had no access to her equipment, lost her customer base, and missed out on nearly two full years of income.

She finally took the towing company to court—and after a long legal battle, the jury said, “Yeah, this ain’t right.” The result? A $7.1 million award for damages.

💸 The Breakdown of the Award

The jury didn’t just throw out that number for fun. They made it clear this was about **more than just money**—it was a message.
The award included:

Lost income from her food truck business

Emotional distress over being stonewalled and ignored

Punitive damages to send a loud signal to the towing company and others like it

They wanted this case to serve as a wake-up call to the industry—and it just might.

🧠 What This Means for Truckers and Small Business Owners

Now you might be thinkin’: “I ain’t got a food truck, what’s this got to do with me?”
But hold up—this story is a warning shot for anyone who drives for a living, especially:

Owner-operators with rigs they park at yards or commercial lots

Hotshot drivers hauling smaller loads and parking in mixed-use areas

Box truck fleets doing delivery routes in cities

Here’s the real lesson: Tow companies can wreck your income overnight if you’re not careful—and some of them count on you not knowing your rights.

🚨 The Growing Problem of Predatory Towing

Across the country, more and more drivers—truckers, gig workers, food truck owners—are reporting **towing abuses**:
✔ “Unauthorized impounds” – Vehicles towed with no signage or legal notice
✔ “Cash-only releases” – Tow yards refusing credit or checks, even when allowed
✔ “Excessive storage fees” – Some charge $150+ per day, hoping owners abandon the vehicle
✔ “Held hostage” tactics – Trucks and trailers kept without paperwork, delaying return

And here’s the kicker: Many small operators don’t have legal support or insurance to fight back.

This food truck owner DID fight—and that $7.1 million win is giving others hope.

🗣 Different Viewpoints on the Case

The Tow Industry:
“We’re just enforcing parking regulations. Most owners know the rules—they just don’t like the consequences.”

The Courts:
“This was not enforcement. This was exploitation. And it stops here.”

Truckers and Small Operators:
“We get towed, we get fined, we lose work. But we don’t get help. This case proves we’ve got to push back harder.”

🛠 What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

Here’s how to avoid being the next headline:

1. Know Local Parking Laws – Especially if you're parking a commercial vehicle overnight. Some places ban it altogether.
2. Take Photos – Every time you park. It may be the only proof you have if something goes sideways.
3. Save All Receipts & Tow Documents – You'll need 'em if things go legal.
4. Record Every Call – Especially if you're getting the runaround from the impound lot.
5. Fight Back – If something smells shady, contact a lawyer or your state attorney general’s office. You’d be surprised how often you’re in the right.

💬 Bottom Line: Don’t Let 'Em Jack Your Hustle

This $7.1M case is more than a payday—it’s a **shot across the bow** to every predatory towing company trying to bleed working folks dry.
If it can happen to a food truck operator, it can happen to any one of us—especially independent truckers without big company backing. Stay sharp, stay documented, and don’t let anyone hold your business hostage.

📣 Call to Action

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