A San Antonio man has a collection of vintage cars he hardly ever drives.
So, he was completely surprised when he started getting notices for unpaid tolls and parking tickets out of Austin.
After trying for months without success to clear things up himself, he reached out to FOX SA’s Problem Solver Darian Trotter.
“I like older cars, they’re easier to work on,” said Andrew McBurney.
Andrew McBurney has been collecting classic cars for years.
“I keep all my cars in good condition,” McBurney said. “I have three classic cars.”
Like this 1934 Ford sedan, and this 1967 Chevy RS Convertible. But this 1968 Chevy RSS Camaro is his most-prized possession.
It’s been with the retired Air Force veteran through four military bases overseas.
Investigative Reporter Darian Trotter asked, “How long have you had it? McBurney replied, “Since 77.”
Trotter asked, “How do you maintain and keep the engine running? I start up once a month all of my cars,” McBurney replied. “I start them up i may go around the block and then put them back in storage and cover them up.
Andrew says all of his cars are in mint condition under the hood and on the surface.
“I’ve never taken them to a car wash,” said McBurney. “All three of my cars. They never get dirty.”
But he admits, he polishes them more than he drives them.
“The past ten years, I drove this car about 6,000 miles, that’s it,” said McBurney.
That’s why this 75-year old retiree could not make sense of why he started getting threatening notices for unpaid parking tickets.
“This parking violation is for $91.25 cents, downtown Austin at a parking lot,” said McBurney.
And unpaid tolls, also in Austin.
“This is $62 dollars,” said McBurney.
“I don’t mind paying bills, my bills, but not somebody else’s bills,” said McBurney.
Apparently there’s a classic Mercedes in Austin that has the same license plate number as Andrew’s Camero, KNG 263.
Trotter asked, “How do you know it’s not yours? My car hasn’t been out of 1604,” McBurney replied. “I live in San Antonio, that Mercedes is in Austin.”
When Andrew grabbed a handful of the bills to show us, the Problem Solver spotted a big difference in the images taken by toll road cameras, compared to Andrew’s actual plates.
“Oh wow, yeah that’s white with black letters,” said McBurney.
Where as the photo of Andrew’s plates, he’s been using to plead his case, shows black with white lettering.
“It’s completely different,” McBurney said. “They’re hemisphere 1968 plates. They’re antique plates. I’ve had them for six years.”
We checked…
The same license plate number can exist in different states, but not on two different vehicles in the same state.
The plates in question are both Texas plates.
But the one on the Mercedes in Austin is the only one caught on camera racking up outstanding tolls and parking violations. Which Andrew says has put him on the fast track to trouble in San Antonio.
Trotter asked, “What’s your fear? That they’ll come knocking on my door if they commit a crime in that car,” said McBurney.
Andrew says he’s tried for months without success to clear things up with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
He tried making phone calls, sending emails, and making in-person visits. Still nothing.
Trotter asked, “Is it frustrating? McBurney replied, “It is, time consuming going downtown. I’ve been to three different offices trying to get an answer.”
We reached out to the North Texas Tollway Authority.
The toll operator confirms the Mercedes in Austin has an expired antique plate with the same sequence as Andrew’s.
Trotter asked, “What do you want? I’d like to get it solved,” McBurney replied. “So I stop getting the bills. And, I probably won’t ever go to Austin in my car.”
FOX SA was able to get the Tollway Authority to excuse all of the outstanding toll fees.
They’re also working with Andrew to help him clear up the unpaid parking tickets.
A spokesperson says drivers who receive a toll bill for a vehicle that is not theirs, should contact the tolling agency issuing the bill to dispute the transaction.