My car was towed from my apartment under the cover of night – ‘violation’ wasn’t my fault and now I owe $93

A DRIVER said she went to bed after her vehicle had broken down - in the darkness of night, towing operators snatched the car.

The apartment resident knew her Pontiac Vibe was parked against the rules, but there was no way to turn around.

Karen Workman lives paycheck to paycheck, according to

-based ABC affiliate WATE-TV.

Workman, a retiree with a fixed income, said it's difficult for anyone in her neighborhood to pay the towing fees imposed on residents.

However, stringent parking standards assigned by the apartment complex have sent tow trucks into the retiree's lot.

"I've been here eight years. We could always park the way we wanted to over here," she said.

"All of a sudden, they act like it is a gated community, and we got to park a certain way. We have to pull in."

The neighborhood recently changed rules to ensure towing authorities can easily verify parking registration.

Apartment officials asked drivers to place red stickers in the rear window of their cars.

Then, they asked residents to park with their front bumper facing the curb to readily display the registration.

Workman fell victim to a tow because of the new rules - but she said she was completely powerless.

The day before her car was towed, the older vehicle broke down at a nearby gas station.

A friend of Workman's got the car running for a brief trek back to the apartment complex.

But the friend parked in reverse, hoping it would give mechanics easier access to the motor.

He didn't know it was against the apartment complex's rules to park about-face.

"I told him we're not supposed to do that," Workman said.

"I knew, but he didn't know."

What to do if your car is towed

Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.

If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.

Steps to take when your car is towed:

• Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.

If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm

Workman said her car was towed away around midnight with several other vehicles that officials claimed were improperly parked.

Workman's daughter, Chatty Cannon, said the towing operation was unethical.

"[It's] not right at all," she said.

"Especially when these are elderly residents. Most of them are on fixed incomes."

But the company that towed the car said the rules for the residency are plainly stated.

The towing company also has a contract with the complex to surveil the parking throughout the night.

Workman paid $93 to get her car back.