The city impound lot on Pulaski Highway offers plenty of amenities ? a port-a-potty off a hot dusty road, a sweltering waiting room and a new service: bumper removal.
At least that?s what Derrick Jessup said happened to the Saturn he borrowed from a friend that ended up in the impound lot. Jessup was arrested for driving with a suspended license and his car was impounded in working condition.
When he arrived at the lot to retrieve it last week, Jessup told his story to The Examiner for a special report ? “Tales from the impound lot” ? that was published Monday. A few days after speaking to The Examiner, though, he discovered his troubles were hardly over.
When he initially tried to pick up the car, “they couldn?t find the key but we saw the car, and it was fine,” he told The Examiner Tuesday. “When we came back on Monday, we didn?t even recognize the car,” he said.
Jessup said the front bumper was torn completely off the right side of car. The damage, which made the car inoperable, means the 1991 Saturn with 17,000 miles on it is totaled, Jessup said.
But adding insult to injury for Jessup was towing the vehicle out of the lot, getting estimates for repairs, and paying for the repairs ? all out of his pocket.
The tab: nearly $200 ? though the lot manager acknowledged the damage happened on the city?s watch. The additional towing, though, was on him.
“I had to pay $65 to tow it off the lot, then they told us we needed two estimates, if we want to file a claim,” he said.
“It?s unbelievable that we have to pay this when they did the damage,” he said.
Officials at the city Department of Transportation said all claims for vehicle damage must be processed through the city?s law department. Getting reimbursed for repairs could take six to eight months ? if a claim is approved, Jessup said.
The damaged car has become a rallying point for ACORN, the community activist group that represents low-income city residents. Jessup said that starting Tuesday, ACORN will be at the lot gathering signatures for a petition calling for changes to the city?s towing laws.
“We?re going to have someone out there every day with a petition,” he said. “It?s election time, so we?re going to make sure people pay attention at City Hall.”
Jessup said ACORN is planning a major protest at the lot in September.
“What?s happening out there is wrong, and it affects everybody,” Jessup said. “We?re just going to do something about it.”
