NCSU Students on Hook for Tow, and Many Don't Even Know

An apartment complex towed cars for a paving project because N.C. State students didn't, but that was because they had left on spring break.

Posted 12:38 a.m. Mar 9, 2007 — Updated 1:19 p.m. Mar 9, 2007

RALEIGH, N.C. — Several North Carolina State University students who live in an apartment complex that wanted to repave its parking lot had their cars towed to get them out of the way. Many of them don’t know that, though — they’re away on spring break.

The apartment complex is Lake Johnson Mews on Avent Ferry Road in Raleigh. It couldn’t pave with the cars in the lot, so it had them moved by City Towing and Recovery on Tarheel Drive.

The company hauled around 30 vehicles to its storage lot, where the owners can get them back for a towing fee and a daily storage charge.

“I think it's very unjust,” said Brad James, a student who had his Ford F-150 pickup and another car towed. That cost him $330.

James said Lake Johnson Mews left a notice on his door, but after he'd left town.

“The kids were gone. They left at 5:30 Sunday morning for their spring break,” said parent Linda Wendehorst, whose daughter had her car towed.

“It's costly. The kids have no money. This was their big trip they saved up for. They're going to come back and have to come up with the fee for the impoundment of their car and the storage,” Wendehorst said.

James said he thinks the whole matter was “just poorly managed and poorly handled.”

Lake Johnson Mews should have given more notice, James argued. He said he felt lucky he wasn't away longer.

“This was totally out of their hands. There was nothing they could have done about it,” Wendehorst said.

Lake Johnson Mews issued a statement late Thursday afternoon saying it was not aware of when spring break was and that the management regrets the inconvenience.

The complex said residents are required to notify the management office if they're going to be away for more than five days, and no one notified the office. WRAL spoke with three residents Thursday, however, who said they were gone fewer than five days and had their cars towed anyway.

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