Anita Likens, a London resident, told the City Council during public comment that her vehicle was towed after a Feb. 21 collision and was later held at a local lot while the towing company issued what she called an inflated and inconsistent invoice.

Likens said London police officer John Guebeau responded to the crash and that the city’s on-call rotation required use of a particular towing company. She said the driver who removed her vehicle, identified in documents and her remarks as Damien (Damien’s Towing and Recovery LLC), insisted the vehicle be kept at “V’s Auto Lot” and at one point offered to move the car to a different repair shop for $250 cash without a receipt. Likens said her insurer ultimately paid an adjusted invoice of $3,595.88 after bargaining; she provided multiple invoices and property records to the council.

The alleged sequence of events included a tow truck that the speaker said delivered invoices showing different addresses and a final billing that included recovery, call-out and miscellaneous fees she disputed. Likens told council that those charges, if widespread, could raise insurance base rates in zip code 43140 and urged the city to impose oversight and controls, citing “Revised Code 49-21-25” and a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision she referenced during her remarks.

Mayor and council members debated the account and called it “outrageous” and “unacceptable.” Police Chief (identified in the transcript as Glenn/the chief) confirmed the department’s written policy is to ask accident victims whom they want to tow, where reasonable, and give preference to a claimant’s tow operator. The chief said he could not explain why that did not happen in this case and that he is investigating whether body-worn camera footage exists. The mayor said the administration and law director are preparing a formal contract for tow vendors and that the city will suspend the tow company named in the complaint while the contract and new policy are implemented.

Council members pressed for details, noted the possibility of insurance investigation into potential fraud and asked the administration to report back. The mayor said the contract will require tow companies that wish to work for the city to submit standardized fee schedules and insurance proof; the city will vet and add additional requirements to the on-call list. The mayor and chief said the city will act quickly and suspend the specific tow vendor from the rotation pending contract compliance.

The council did not adopt legislation on the spot; instead the administration committed to preparing a contract and policy changes and to remove the vendor from the municipal rotation pending the contract process. Council members encouraged the complainant to contact the Ohio Attorney General’s office as an additional avenue, and several members said they would request follow-up from the law director and police chief.

The council thanked Likens for bringing the matter to the public meeting; the law director, police chief and mayor said they will draft a contract, add vendor requirements and pursue other administrative remedies.