Man says towing company charged him $125 even though his truck hadn't been repossessed

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — An Osceola County man said his pickup truck was towed Tuesday evening while he was babysitting his granddaughter so his daughter could visit a hospital.

Gordon Clatworthy said he parked his pickup in a parking lot because of the strict parking rules at St. Cloud's Covington Estates subdivision.

"I had my dad park over at the management office," said Sarah Lee, Clatworthy's daughter. "That's where the management told me to park."

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Clatworthy said he thought his pickup had been stolen when he returned to the parking lot to find it missing.

He said the St. Cloud Police Department told him that his vehicle had been towed by Next Generation Towing and that the driver was nearby.

"The guy tells me it's a repossession," Lee said.

"And I said, 'Repossessed by who?'" Clatworthy said. "I said, 'I haven't got no note on the car.' I said, 'I've had this car for about 10 years.'"

Police told Channel 9 on Thursday that Next Generation Towing towed the vehicle at the request of the subdivision's manager.

She was not happy to see Channel 9's Field Sutton on Thursday.

"Are you the manager?" he said.

"Yes, but you are not allowed to be at this community. This is a private community, OK?" the woman said.

"People say you are the one calling in and having these cars towed. Is that correct?" Sutton said.

"I don't have any comment ... on that," the woman said.

The manager told Sutton that he could get answers about the towing if he called a phone number she provided him with, but no one answered or returned his phone call.

Clatworthy said he paid the towing company $125 because he needed his vehicle back.

"We paid that money for something we didn't do," he said.

Jennifer Ludovice, a spokeswoman for the subdivision, provided Channel 9 with the following statement Thursday evening:

"The rules and regulations for the community, to which all residents agree in writing, state that parking of vehicles is not allowed on vacant sites, fire lanes, lawns or patios. Further, vehicles parked in guest parking spaces must have a guest permit for overnight parking. Residents can obtain guest parking permits in the community office. We regularly communicate with residents to remind them of the parking rules, as well as post signage throughout the community.

"We have a contract with a towing company that patrols the community for parking violations. They carefully document the violations with detailed photographs prior to towing any vehicle. These photographs are available to any vehicle owner who believes his or her vehicle may have been towed without valid reason.

"The satisfaction of our residents is very important to us. Unfortunately, as much as we prefer to avoid inconveniencing any residents or guests, when these rules are not followed the effects can result in a vehicle being towed."

Clatworthy and Lee said they do not understand how someone may obtain a permit during an emergency after the office has closed.

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