Justice, After Van Crushed For Parts

Citizen watchdog John Marshall Lee is like a chihuahua nipping at the heels of public officials to do the right thing. His persistence, with an assist from East End City Councilman Ernie Newton, has prevailed upon Police Chief AJ Perez to reimburse a woman whose van was dubiously towed and subsequently crushed for parts. How did that happen in the first place when the van was registered and insured? It’s been a long strange trip for Linda Lee, no relation to John who has chronicled the wild ride in OIB commentaries and presentations to the City Council.

CT Post reporter Brian Lockhart provides an update:

“I reviewed the whole case. I don’t think that the vehicle should have been towed,” Perez admitted.

But it is too late for the city to return the Ford to Lee.

… Lee, with help from City Councilman Ernie Newton and activist John Marshall Lee, has for the past few months been pressuring Perez, both publicly and in private meetings, for help. Her Ford was, the chief confirmed, “crushed for parts” by the private towing company, Jim’s Autobody, after Lee did not pay for its release.

Lee told Hearst she could not afford Jim’s charges and turned to the chief, believing he would act before her van was destroyed.

… City Attorney R. Christopher Meyer confirmed Wednesday that his office would reconsider Lee’s claim for reimbursement. “(Perez) disagreed with the officer (who investigated Lee’s van). He doesn’t think it’s abandoned,” Meyer said. “We’re contacting her and accepting her claim, based on the fact it was not abandoned.”

Full story here.

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13 comments

    1. Sad that it had to get to this point but I’m glad for all of those who stepped up to assist Linda Lee, now let’s make sure that this doesn’t happen again.

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    1. Derek, that’s right, this is just another example why Bridgeport needs someone new running the Police Department. Why give credit to someone who is doing what they are getting paid for by the taxpayers.

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  1. Lennie, Chihuahua with a megaphone? Or bulldog with a sense of smell that causes him to pay attention and persevere? Have it your way. Because you currently are not publishing my addresses to the City Council, I offer the comments from this past Monday evening where Linda Lee’s problem and its issues were reprised once again.

    Members of the City Council……

    Election Day 2018 is in less than 15 days out from us. What has caught your attention as Bridgeport legislative representatives, residents and taxpayers? Personally I have been wondering just what the various candidates for Executive Office will be doing about financing our budgets, responsibilities and obligations when elected. I am not hearing much that makes sense, have you? Now there is a candidate for State Treasurer, Shawn Wooden. He was President of the Hartford City Council, a lawyer and pension expert. He claims to have overcome their $50 Million budget deficit in his run for Treasurer. I guess his reference is to MARB where he got the State to eat current and some future Hartford fiscal issues? Why are not 11 of you as interested on behalf of Bridgeport? We guess that MARB would be in town if Joe Ganim wanted it, and it could be here if you asked for it, too. What’s your holdup? Open government? Transparency in finances? Accountability for Capital Projects?

    It’s not that you are not voting on big issues. Look at the $100 Million of financing authorization that faces you. $25 Million for and another $75 Million for. Some funds will be grants. Some will be bonded and require repayment. And some…time will tell. Beyond the numbers do you know what is proposed for the future, in what time frame, and whether that creates any changes in the quality of the environment where you live? Have you visited the pipe in Cedar Creek where effluent flows out from the West Side Plant? If you haven’t looked into it, why vote on it immediately. Are we on the right course? Does the concept of placing huge cold water “bottles” under City property to be filled when the rain runoff is too much from storm sewers seem like a handy idea. What are the alternatives? Why is CSO separation throughout the entire City as a plan changing? How about a voluntary hearing? A meeting one month ago brought out over 70 people at the Aquaculture School. There is interest.

    At a previous meeting I indicated that the Police Department budget is running about $100 Million with half of that amount funding healthcare, pension, and other fringes. With overtime earnings in your three highest years becoming the critical factor rather than base earnings, it does not matter whether it is internal overtime or external overtime that creates the excess factor that is paid at retirement. Who is keeping track of external overtime today? How much reimbursement is being earned under the current Police Department contract, or the one that is being negotiated? Why is this important? If you don’t know, ask someone who does? There is no profit in overtime charged to contractors as used to be claimed. Is Bridgeport following “best practices” in this regard? If not, why not?

    It’s has been four months since I met Linda Lee who had her Econoline Van removed from in front of her home because of a PD sticker and cooperation of a towing company the following day June 6. On June 16th she signed up to speak to you. And I introduced her to Chief Perez. Two weeks ago we sat in the Chief’s office and went over the paper work. Lots of anomalies that might have caused a value conscious officer to question the original stickering, like car registered, plates on vehicle, insurance in place and funded, and even though the registration had a Stratford address, the taxes had been paid in Bridgeport. Slow leak???? Come on folks. Under “Non Consensual Towing Procedures, Notification and Vehicle Disposal” it says, “If the vehicle remains unclaimed, the tower must notify the owner…..that the vehicles remains in the tower’s possession prior to the filing of DMV “Notice of intent to Sell or Artificer’s Lien” That did not happen. Who can tell what became of this serviceable vehicle taxed at $3,000 and bearing about the same value of parts and service completed in the previous month?? How many “non-consensual” events have to happen before taxpayers are listened to? What are the consequences to those who are making up the rules instead of attending to them? Time will tell.

    John Marshall Lee

    What are the odds of the 30 day letter from tower to owner being an observed part of process in Bridgeport? Time will tell.

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  2. *** Great job, JML & E.Newton for staying on point till a fair resolution was found. Shame on the city of Bpt P.D Chief for dragging his feet after giving this women false hope! And shame on Jim’s Auto-body for being too quick to tow city vehicles in Bpt; Its all about the benjamin$ ! ***

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  3. Speaking of Benjamin’s the city could make a lot of money if it towed cars. There is a lot of money left on the table.

    The city could collect the storage and tow fees. Sell off or scrap any uncollected cars once all efforts to notify the owner has been exhausted.

    Vehicles towed for being unregistered could be held until they are registered and put on the tax rolls. Then legally driven off the impound yard. Perhaps the city could work with the court in some of these cases.

    Why should the people who tow for the city get to keep a good chunk of the revenue?

    The city could also sell off any obvious abandoned vehicles too. Once again after all efforts to locate the owner has been exhausted and the legal requirements are met.

    Just an idea….

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  4. The system that ‘Stringfellow’ suggests was actually in place (partially) until more enlightened times of the Bucci administration. The fees the contractors are allowed to charge are supposed to be monitored by the police department. The fees are an incentive for private contractors to go out and remove abandoned cars. Vehicles unmoved for 72 hours on a public roadway are tagged to warn the owner to move it or face having it towed and impounded.You don’t heed the warning, your vehicle is towed and impounded.

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  5. The city should be collecting these fees not the contractors. They get most of the apple while the city is left with the core. Legally registered cars involved in a accident that can’t be driven can go to a body shop of the choice of the owner.

    Cars being driven illegally, drunk drivers, abandoned ect. go to the police impound yard. The city boots cars for unpaid taxes. The boot comes off after the taxes are paid. The owner wants their unregistered car back, go get legal plates,proof of insurance and a valid license you can drive it off the lot.

    Just pay the city the tow and the daily storage fee that is what these contractors get. There is no way to know if that car is registered. Only to be stopped and towed again.

    The city cries it’s broke, this system would fund itself.

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  6. The city could put out to bid for tow trucks to take cars to the police impound. They city would pay for these tows.

    Civilians would be hired to run the day to day operation so no police overtime would be required. The yard would be open during normal business hours during the week. The police department would oversee the operation.

    The back side of the Remington property on Grant street would be a good place. There is one way in and there is a fence around the property. The water on the left side forms a natural barrier too. Add a small building and some lights

    The biggest expense would be adding a drainage system to collect water,oil and other fluids.

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