AG Says ‘Racist and Rude’ Poughkeepsie Tow Truck Driver Broke Law
New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against a Poughkeepsie tow truck operator that she describes as "predatory."
Back in 2019, we told you about complaints against Bobby's Auto Repair & Collision in Poughkeepsie. Customers of McDonald's on Main Street say that the tow truck operator, Robert Scores, would "stalk" customers who stepped off of the property for just a moment, booting their cars and charging them exorbitant fees.
After the story broke, the private towing company became the focus of an ABC News investigation that included an interview with Mayor Rob Rollison who blamed a loophole in the city's ordinance for allowing Scores to charge exorbitant fees and not wait the required 20 minutes before towing a vehicle.
The Attorney General is now addressing these concerns, as well as accusing Scores of engaging in other horrific practices. According to the suit, James says the tow truck driver has "engaged in rude behavior, illegally towed cars, overcharged for towing fees, falsified tow tickets, and made racist and derogatory comments to vehicle owners" for years.
James says that the time has come for Scores to answer for his actions.
For too long, Bobby’s Towing bullied New Yorkers who depended on their cars to go to work, take their children to school, get groceries, and run errands. No one should have to pay hundreds of dollars to get their car back when they didn’t do anything wrong.
An investigation launched by the Attorney General's office alleges that Scores "persistently engaged in deceptive and predatory business practices." The tow truck operator is being accused of towing vehicles while owners were on the scene and willing to move their cars, towing cars that were idling, and falsifying tow tickets by lying about the reasons for the tow and the cost.
James says that Scores also instructed car owners to report the tows to their insurance as "roadside assistance" as a way to get reimbursed, which is against the law. The lawsuit also claims that Bobby's Towing incorrectly hooked cars up to its trucks, causing "significant and expensive damages."
The lawsuit is seeking several actions against Scores, including reimbursement for vehicle owners who were illegally towed. The reimbursement would include "any and all damages, such as lost wages, in the circumstance of an illegal tow." Hudson Valley residents who believe they were targeted by Scores are being encouraged to file a complaint online, or call 845-485-3900.
When Hudson Valley Post spoke to Scores back in 2019 he insisted that he was following the law and that customers were being legally booted. Because he's not licensed, Scores claimed that he was immune from the City of Poughkeepsie's towing ordinance.