Doj Sues Towing Company For Removing 150 Vehicles From A Marine Base And Auctioning Them Off

The Justice Department is suing a California towing company, claiming that it illegally auctioned disconnected astir 150 vehicles that had been towed from a Marine Corps base.

S&K Towing Inc. has been accused of illegally trading aliases disposing of arsenic galore arsenic 148 vehicles owned by work members, galore of which were towed from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton successful confederate California, according to nan U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The suit accuses nan San Clemente-based institution of ignoring nan Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which requires tow companies to get a tribunal bid earlier trading aliases disposing of a conveyance owned by a protected work member.

S&K Towing is accused of illegally processing nan vehicles betwixt August 2020 and April 2025.

“The men and women who service successful our nation’s subject merit bid of mind successful knowing that their ineligible authorities will beryllium protected astatine location while they are distant serving nan United States,” First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli said.

Prosecutors reason successful nan suit that immoderate of nan vehicles S&K sold aliases disposed of were registered to Camp Pendleton addresses.

In different instances, nan vehicles were auctioned disconnected moreover aft S&K was told its proprietor was successful nan military, prosecutors claim.

The institution was besides reportedly approached astir nan issue. A Military Legal Assistance lawyer had approached nan institution and explained that nan institution was violating SCRA.

In response, a head astatine S&K said, “We do this each nan time,” according to nan U.S. Attorney’s Office.

“It is unacceptable and forbidden for a business to waste aliases dispose of these vehicles without abiding by nan laws that protect servicemembers,” Essayli said.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon noted that “Servicemembers are often absent for extended periods owed to training and deployments and whitethorn not cognize that their conveyance has been towed.”

“The SCRA plays an important domiciled successful providing these servicemembers pinch capable ineligible protections,” Dhillon added.

Service members and their dependents who judge that their authorities nether nan SCRA whitethorn person been violated should interaction nan nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office, nan U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

The Independent has contacted S&K Towing Inc. for comment.