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By: LAREDO SUN
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"A total of one thousand 237 vehicles have been towed away since May first of this year, but I'd like to know how many of these vehicles have been recuperated; I insist the only Winters in this game are towing company owners because they keep the cars and then sell them at the car auctions," Ornelas affirmed.
Judge Ornelas added that it is best to look for other options of what to do with these people, because the grand majority does not have liability insurance because they do not have the monies to pay for them.
"It is mostly people with very low incomes that use their vehicles to go to work, and most of them live by the day, and they can't pay the insurance; although if they were granted some type of help from insurance companies, like paying in installments, it would be different," Ornelas mentioned.
The Police Department does not know the number of vehicles recovered by their owners, after they've been seized. Joe Baeza, spokesperson of the Police Department, mentioned he does not know the exact number of vehicles recovered, but he said he is sure most of them are real antiques, that most of them are in bad shape, and therefore they just cause a larger risk to other drivers on the streets.
"Those that really worry about complying with the law and paying liability insurance may agree with me on that drivers without an insurance are a severe risk to the community, and this becomes a huge problem whenever they are involved in a wreck," Baeza pointed out.
On the other hand, Judge Ornelas, insisted that during these times of crisis towing and seizing the vehicle of a family parent is a tragedy, hence he considered this ordinance to be a complete injustice in these days.
The law regarding non insured vehicles really began in May of this year, and so far they have picked up a total of one thousand 237 vehicles; the owners must pay a 365 dollar fee, 80 to 90 dollars for towing the vehicle and 10 dollars per day for the time the car is confined.
In addition, in order to legally be able to pound your vehicle back, it must be registered under your name, and if that is not the case, they cannot be recovered.
However the judge suggests that the majority of the vehicles will be sold at a very low price by the towing company owners.
Comments
- Judge Ornelas legislating from the benchby Robert Sommers, 29/11/2009 20:50
+0Judge Ornelas should be removed from the bench as it is obvious that he considers his personal opionions above matters of law.
No where in this article did he mention the harm and additional expense incurred by drivers who have obtained insurance and are subsequently involved in a collison with an uninsured driver.
I believe as a society that are sympathy should side with those who follow the laws of our state and federal governments, not those that ignore the law using finances as an excuse.
Secondly, the judge does not allow for the costs incurred by the towing companies for providing towing and storage services.
They have mortages or rent, employee costs, truck payments, high fuel costs, insurance, etc. Just how much profit does the judge think they are making when impounding a vehicle that ultimately may not be picked up.
I am in the towing business in Los Angeles and we have found that the only vehicles redeemed are those that have value.
Low value junkers are dumped on us every day. Many of them are sent to an auto dismantler or scrap iron processor for free as they have no real value other than scrap metal.
I would like to ask the judge about how much money he feels attorney's garner off the public.
While he slams the tow company, I am sure he feels an attorney has earned his pay even if it is at the detriment of a poor person.
