SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Police Department is investigating S&S Towing on El Cajon Boulevard. The department says it's already found several victims of illegal towing but says there could be more victims out there.
SDPD says they launched their investigation into the company after getting several complaints of unfair towing practices primarily in immigrant communities.
On Monday Aug. 5, SDPD went to the business with a search warrant. The department says a tow truck driver ran out and into the parking lot of a nearby car dealership and pulled a gun on himself.
CBS 8 spoke with a witness who lives nearby who wishes to keep his identity out of the public eye.
"I saw SWAT I saw tactical units pointing, pointing weapons at the corner of the dealership and of course it startled me," he said.
SDPD negotiators tried talking with him. Police say he ended up shooting himself and was pronounced dead at the scene.
"That was really tragic for me to see that," he said.
The man who wished to remain anonymous said it's disappointing to hear immigrant communities were targeted by the company.
"I hate to say it that we're living in a world, still a beautiful country, where these types of discriminations are happening," he said. "It's a diverse community we have folks of African descent, Vietnamese descent, Mexican descent so I would hate to hear that something was happening like that targeting certain communities."
Police say you might be a victim of S&S Towing if:
- Your vehicle was towed from a legally parked area by S&S Towing.
- The tow truck driver refused to release your vehicle on-site – meaning it hadn’t yet been removed from private property and was NOT in transit.
- The tow truck driver asked for payment of more than half of the regular towing charge after it was already hooked up to the tow truck or other towing device and you returned and requested it be released.
- The tow truck driver or company refused to accept a credit card as a form of payment and would only accept cash.
- The owner of the vehicle is not provided a photocopy of the written authorization.
- The owner is not provided a notice with information regarding reporting of wrongful towing.
If you believe your vehicle has been unlawfully towed by S&S Towing, please contact SDPD’s Traffic Special Investigations Unit at TowingFraudReport@pd.sandiego.gov.
Additionally, you may file a complaint with the ACE Unit using an online form, here.
Find additional information on unlawful towing, here.
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