Little River company illegally towed, impounded attorney’s car several times, suit says

A lawyer based in Little River is suing a towing company after he claims his vehicle was illegally towed from his office parking lot multiple times and then impounded.

James Stevens says in a lawsuit that Coastline Towing and Recovery took his car from the lot that serves his office on Mulberry Street, even though it was legally parked.

A message seeking comment from Stevens’ attorney Monday afternoon was not immediately returned.

The suits also names Richard Pate and Coastline Motorsports Inc. as defendants. Pate is the owner of both businesses, according to the suit.

The “conduct of the defendants, both jointly and severally, have been repeated in the past not only to the consuming public in general but to this plaintiff and his spouse in particular,” the lawsuit states.

A messages seeking comment from the defendants Monday afternoon was not immediately returned.

Stevens had been leaving on an undisclosed date about 6 p.m. when he realized his car was gone from the parking lot. He called 911 and found out the defendant had towed it.

Stevens did not give the defendants permission to take his car, and he requested they bring it back to his office, according to the suit filed April 5.

But the defendant was forced to pay about $200 for the towing company to release his car.

On another date, April 3, Stevens left his office to head home when he realized his car had again been towed.

After confirming the towing company had Stevens’ vehicle, an agent with the company said it would be returned. But it wasn’t.

Stevens was ordered to pay $286 to get his car. However, there was no way for him to pick up his car, so he requested again for them to return it to his office.

But the company ignored his text messages asking for the car and impounded it, the suit claims.

Stevens is seeking damages “in an amount of the highest value of said vehicle from the date of the second conversion of plaintiff’s vehicle until the date of the trial, together with consequential and incidental damages and prejudgment interest,” the suit states.