PITTSBURGH \u2014 It was the morning rush hour when Diamond Rush got into a crash just before the Liberty tunnels. She says a BJ\u2019s Towing and Recovery truck showed up to the scene as police were working to clear the road and get it back open to traffic. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey kept saying the car is totaled, it\u2019s totaled,\u201d Rush tells 11 Investigates. <\/p>\n
Rush says she has AAA, but feeling pressured, she allowed the car to be towed. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was not really functioning right after the accident,\u201d Rush added. \u201cI wasn\u2019t thinking properly.\u201d <\/p>\n
The next day, when she called to pick up the car, Rush said she was stunned to hear the price of the bill. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a crazy amount he charged me, which is $1,800 cash only,\u201d Rush tells 11 Investigates. \u201cOnly cash. They included that they weren\u2019t able to provide the receipt until they received the money.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rush says she wasn\u2019t able to afford the bill, so her 2015 GMC has been sitting at BJ\u2019s Towing and Recovery garage for weeks, racking up thousands of dollars in storage fees. <\/p>\n
\u201cI got a text message saying the current bill is $5,600, I believe, and then I will accept $2,000 cash payment,\u201d Rush added. <\/p>\n
11 Investigates went to BJ\u2019s Towing in Spring Hill to get the owner\u2019s side of the story. We tried calling and texting over the course of two days. When the owner got back to us, he told 11 Investigates the person who performed the tow is no longer leasing his trucks or property, but he defended the charges, saying they are consistent with rates commonly charged for similar tows. <\/p>\n
The owner of BJ\u2019s Towing and Recovery said once he was made aware of the customer\u2019s concerns, he began working with her to reduce the bill, even eliminating the storage fees. On Wednesday, he sent 11 Investigates a statement, saying in part: \u201cI have decided to waive the entire remaining balance of $2,000 and make the vehicle available for release to its rightful owner at absolutely no charge.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rush says she believes she was taken advantage of in an emergency, something the owner of BJ\u2019s Towing adamantly denies. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s wrong, it shouldn\u2019t happen,\u201d Rush said. \u201cWe should be reasonable and treat everyone fairly.\u201d <\/p>\n
The following is the full statement from BJ\u2019s Towing and Recovery: <\/p>\n
\u201cAfter reviewing the circumstances and considering everything involved, I have decided to waive the entire remaining balance of $2,000 and make the vehicle available for release to its rightful owner at absolutely no charge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have instructed my attorney to prepare a formal settlement and release agreement documenting that the total amount owed will be $0.00. <\/p>\n
\u201cI want to emphasize that this decision is not an admission of wrongdoing or an acknowledgment that the original towing charges were improper. There are substantial expenses associated with operating a licensed and insured towing business, particularly when responding to accident scenes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I previously explained, I did not personally perform this tow. However, because my equipment and property were involved, I chose to personally intervene and work toward a resolution rather than allow this dispute to continue.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe my actions demonstrate a genuine effort to resolve the matter fairly and professionally. I have already stopped additional storage charges, previously reduced the balance significantly, and am now voluntarily eliminating the remaining charges entirely.<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand you have a responsibility to report the facts, and I respect that. I simply ask that my actions to resolve this situation, along with the full circumstances surrounding the tow, be accurately represented in any reporting.\u201d<\/p>\n
My priority is resolving this matter and moving forward professionally.” <\/p>\n
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