A towing bill from Detroit’s Goch & Son’s Towing left the owner of GM Freight in shock.
“I think it’s highway robbery, literally,” said Adam McCloe. “Over $9,000 to get a truck out that was only towed seven miles is just ridiculous.”
The driver got caught in flood waters on Intestate 94 and Livernois Avenue early Saturday morning.
MORE: Drivers paying $500 towing fees after massive flood in Metro Detroit
“He got stuck in traffic, there was nothing he could do. Water started rising and by the time he called me, there was a foot of water in his cab,” Brittany Williams, GM Freight operations manager.
The driver was able to get out and the truck was towed off the freeway about 36 hours later. GM Freight said by then, flood waters had started to recede. The cost for towing was $6,300, and the swimmer’s fee was $2,050.
“I could tow a truck to Grand Rapids for $800 On Tuesday,” McCloe said.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she was “concerned that bad actors may use the weekend’s flooding to overcharge or scam people who need assistance, and that the “Consumer Protection team is investigating complaints”.
“The fact that they can price gouge, I don’t feel like that’s fair. I don’t feel like anything’s being done about that if we have to pay it up front,” Williams said. “It’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen a tow bill this high before.”
In addition to the tow bill, their claim is expected to top $100,000.
“We’re a fairly small business, so sometimes I feel like when people see a commercial vehicle, you think dollar signs and deep pockets, but that’s not the case,” McCloe said.
Goch & Son’s Towing could not be reached for comment.
Drivers who can’t afford to get their car back, or homeowners who feel their contractor is taking advantage are encouraged to contact Michigan Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 517-335-7599 to file a complaint.