Fighting Two-Tiered Towing and Impound Charges

June 01, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When questions were raised about towing fees charged to drivers accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, it was found that the city of Edwardsville uses a two-tier fee system for impounded vehicles -- based on what crime a defendant has been charged with. In order to fight this fee discrepancy, a class action lawsuit has been filed against the city. The class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of 73 people who had their vehicles towed by the city after being arrested for DUI. In all, these plaintiffs have been charged over $21,000 in administrative towing fees. Similar lawsuits have been filed against other area cities, such as Collinsville, Alton, Granite City and O'Fallon, and Fairview Heights. City Officials Say Extra Towing Fees Are Fair The offenses that will subject a defendant to extra administrative towing fees include driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, robbery, arson, burglary, reckless driving, drag racing, and unlawful use of weapons. The lawsuit claims that charging towing and impound fees based on the crimes that a defendant is accused of has "has no rational basis," law enforcement officials, however, say that these tiered charges actually make sense. Officials claim the extra charge is used to cover the costs incurred by the police department when arresting people accused of specific crimes. According to the police, these are "people who weren't supposed to be driving" anyway, reports The Intelligencer. Regardless of the reasons given by law enforcement officials, the fact remains that people accused of certain crimes are required to pay an additional administrative fee to the police department in order to retrieve their vehicle from the towing company. If your vehicle was towed after being accused of DUI or another crime and the police department required you to pay a fee in addition to towing costs to retrieve your vehicle, speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney in your area. Article provided by Polinske & Associates, P.C. Visit us at www.papc.biz --- Press release service and press release distribution provided by http://www.24-7pressrelease.com