2 weeks Ago By Kristen Brown
A HOMEOWNER's driveway was swallowed by a sinkhole, leaving her without a place to park - now the city is saying she'll be towed for parking on the street. Construction projects on the street temporarily ban street parking, but she has nowhere else to park. Shari Stuart, a homeowner in Atlanta Georgia , saw her driveway fall into the ground after a sinkhole opened underneath it in 2019 due to a leaky pipe.
She tried to petition the county to repair the damage, though the request was denied. "They came out and inspected, the people I called, and found that there was a broken storm drainpipe that was owned by Cobb County (Department of Transportation) and found it was leaking and water was rushing under my driveway," Stuart told CSB affiliate WANF . "It formed a sinkhole, and the driveway caved in.
" Read More about Driveways An attorney told the outlet during the initial report that the damage happened on private property , and therefore, the county was not responsible. Since her driveway was destroyed, she'd been parking on the street in front of her home. "I don't have anywhere else to park because I don't have a driveway," she said.
"It's a hazard. It's a nuisance. It's dangerous.
" Most read in Motors Stuart has been tied up in a lawsuit against the county, which is slowly progressing, but comments could not be made due to pending litigation. Because of the legal fees, she hasn't had the funds to fix her driveway. "It’s kind of been a nightmare.
I’ve had to spend lots of money . Hire attorneys. Fight with the county.
Get lots of documents," remarked Stuart. "Get experts out here to inspect it over and over." Most recently, the city has initiated a repaving project on her street, requiring homeowners to temporarily move their cars .
Stuart feels stuck between a rock and a hard place, as there's nowhere close by to keep her car parked. The city said any vehicles blocking the way for city vehicles will be towed. Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back. Steps to take when your car is towed: Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail. Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day. If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps: Be prompt - many states have a small window of time where it's acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better. Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly. Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help.
They are often utilized for towing cases. Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice , National General , Rak Law Firm Stuart told the outlet she spoke with county officials about her concerns. She said Department of Transportation crews told her they'd "try to notify her" before repaving began. However, she is worried her car will be towed without a guarantee.
Read More on The US Sun On top of the legal fees she's racked up suing the county, it's a $135 to $155 expense she can't afford. The U.S.
Sun has reached out to the Cobb County Department of Transportation for comment..
