Colorado's 'towing bill of rights' helps woman get money back after car wrongfully towed

Felicia Jan Bryant has a message to the tow company that patrols her apartment parking lot posted on her car. It's a reminder that Colorado has a new "Towing Bill of Rights" law because one morning she woke up and her car was gone. 

"I panicked because I have a KIA and I know that nationally KIAs are ripe for being stolen," she said. 

She had just moved into her new complex seven days before and knew she had a temporary parking pass displayed in her window, so she didn't think it would have been towed. She went to the leasing office anyway and asked and that's when she learned what had happened. 

"My car was towed right outside my window," she explained. 

Her leasing office was able to pull up a picture the tow truck driver had taken before towing her car. 

"In the photograph, my hang tag was there," she said.

She called Wyatt's Towing and told them the company had illegally towed her car. 

"They said, well there's nothing you can do, and I said, there's a law," said Bryant . 

She paid to have her car returned, but within 24 hours she had also contacted the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies and filed a complaint. Eventually with their help she got her money back. 

Wyatt's Towing said this incident was an honest mistake. They say Bryant's apartment complex switched the design of their temporary parking passes and Wyatt's had not yet updated that change in their system so the tow driver didn't recognize Bryant's parking pass as valid. 

They also confirmed they gave Bryant her money back.  

Bryant thinks if she hadn't researched the new law, she may not have gotten her money back, and she says other Colorado drivers should do the same if they get towed. 

"My advice is to know the law, look it up, use DORA's website and give as many facts as possible and submit a complaint as soon as possible," he said. 

She also says if you think your car has been towed illegally, make sure to document everything with photos and video and keep all necessary paperwork.