Home / Crime and Justice / Predatory Towing Crackdown: NC AG Secures Precedent
Predatory Towing Crackdown: NC AG Secures Precedent
16 Jul
Summary
- Court order targets a towing company for excessive fees.
- Allegations include targeting Black drivers and inflating charges.
- Driver faces new criminal charges for violent acts.
A recent court order secured by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is establishing a precedent against predatory towing practices. The order targets David Satterfield and his companies, A1 Towing and Automobile Recovery and Parking Enforcement, based in Charlotte.
Allegations include discriminatory practices, such as charging exorbitant fees up to $4,400 to release a single vehicle, with specific targeting of Black drivers. The companies also reportedly threatened drivers with escalating fees and improperly towed vehicles during a declared emergency, even those delivering essential supplies.
Complaints against Satterfield span at least a decade, with one viewer recalling a two-to-three-minute meal delivery being subject to towing ten years ago. Satterfield has accumulated multiple criminal charges over the years. Most recently, in May, he was charged with pointing a gun at someone in Mecklenburg County and faced charges in Gaston County for backing into a car with a driver inside and pepper-spraying another individual.
As part of the court-ordered conditions, Satterfield must repay tens of thousands of dollars to mistreated individuals. Failure to comply could result in an additional penalty exceeding $100,000 for the companies.
