New Canaan Police on March 3 arrested a 72-year-old Stamford man by warrant following accusations that his business charged excessive rates for the “nonconsensual” towing and storage of motor vehicles, for example, following car crashes. Under state law, the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles establishes rates for “nonconsensual” towing (mileage and drop fees) and storage. Towing rates vary based on the vehicle’s weight. Storage rates vary depending on the size of the vehicle and whether it’s kept inside or outside and, if outside, whether the lot is secure and lighted.
According to an affidavit from New Canaan Police Officer Owen Ochs that forms the major part of an arrest warrant application signed last month by a state Superior Court judge, local authorities were alerted last November by Norwalk police that a local auto body business had been “violating various wrecker/tow laws in regards to towing storage rates in instances stemming from police tows occurring in Norwalk, Wilton, and possibly New Canaan.”
Capt. Joseph Farenga assigned Ochs an investigation into tows requested by NCPD to find out whether any such laws were violated, Ochs said in the arrest warrant application.
Norwalk police had launched an investigation following complaints lodged in 2023 from people “who had their vehicles towed by Norwalk PD for various reasons (collisions, motor vehicle law violations, etc.) and that the rates [the business] charged the driver and/or owner of the vehicle in question was excessive by law,” the arrest warrant application said. Norwalk police charged the business owner with 14 counts of violation of towing rates, a misdemeanor offense and the man “was found guilty of all counts by a magistrate” in November 2024, the police affidavit said.
