Outright thievery is occurring on Galveston Island by Ace of Galveston Wrecker Service and the Seawall Food Store by towing vehicles without the vehicle owner's consent without providing required notice.
The only two towing signs, both illegal because they fail to state who may park and prohibit all others, are posted more than 100' from the entrance entering from Seawall Blvd. These towing signs can be posted no farther than 25' from the street. This parking facility has a total of three curb-cuts (entry points) that exceed 35' in width therefore requiring two signs at each curb-cut, facing and "conspicuously" visible to the driver of a vehicle that enters the facility, of which none of the two signs posted are.
All of the towing signs used by Galveston based towing companies, except Tony & Bros, fail to bear the words: "Unauthorized Vehicles Will Be Towed at Owner's or Operator's Expense" with no added text in this phrase, as shown in the above picture.
Ace of Galveston Wrecker Service's towing signs posted throughout Galveston Island are very misleading and an illegal.
Visitors to Galveston are urged to park on street whenever possible as the majority of parking facilities fail to meet the minimum requirements of the Texas Occupations Code, that allows towing.
In addition, with changes in State Law during the regular session of Texas Legislature, file your tow hearing request at a Justice of the Peace outside of Galveston for anyone towed on Galveston Island.
Vehicle owners caught in this ongoing towing scam can rest assured the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulations will hold these towing companies responsible for their blatant disregard of State Law and make them refund your money. (can take upwards of two years before actually getting the check in your hand)
The best option, if you have been towed from a private parking lot while in Galveston, still have the release documents, contact either of our towing attorneys, to recover every dime your entitled to, including any damage done during the removal of your vehicle.
Anyone towed from a private parking lot in Galveston is entitled to $1000 plus triple damages and the filing fee. If your vehicle was damaged while being towed, you can also recover the cost to repair your vehicle during this civil suit to recover damages your entitled to.
For more valuable information on illegal towing, visit Texas Towing Compliance.
