The towing scam that happened over a three day period at a Whataburger located in Austin, Texas during the South by Southwest Music Festival that involved Central Towing Inc, TDLR License No. 05672220C, has resulted in a felony arrest warrant being issued for its company President, Donald Creamer. (Central Towing Arrest)

This towing company faces additional criminal charges in reference this investigation, according to other victims who have contacted me, through Texas Towing Compliance, after meeting with detectives giving their written statement, to file criminal charges.

Anyone whom has been towed by Central Towing Inc of Austin, Texas should file an offense report for a wrecker ordinance violation with the Austin Police Department by calling 512-974-5000, only if your vehicle was towed from within the Austin city limits.

I have been contacted by additional victims of this corrupt towing company, who have been towed from Georgetown, Texas and charged in access of $300 to retrieve their vehicle, after paying a $125 cab fare.

It’s towing companies like Central that flourish throughout Texas that victimize motorists causing grave financial distress on a daily basis.

Motorist should file a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulations against the wrecker driver, towing company and vehicle storage facility that rip you off!

These predatory towing issues is not new, rather we have known about the problem for several years, we just haven’t had legislators who thought the issues were not of importance.

One of the key factors in both HB 2571 and SB 1431, is the criminal penalty has been increased from the current Class C misdemeanor to a Class B misdemeanor. This factor in itself is going have a major impact on these criminal enterprises purporting themselves as towing companies, as any law enforcement person can arrest violators immediately, instead of issuing a ticket, as done now.

Also, another request of mine, which both the Senate and House agreed, is to increase damages for statutory violation against the parking facility, from $300 to $1000 plus three times what was paid to retrieve vehicle from storage lot.

Therefore, I am quite pleased with both versions House and Senate, except to provision that would allow a registered sex offender to obtain a license.

SXSW Towing Scam Location in Austin, Texas

I would say that for the most part, that Donald and Catherine Creamer, owners of Central Towing Inc of Austin (Austin Towing Association members), committed fraud on a grand style. I have known these two individuals since the late 80′s and for them either them to say they were unaware the Whataburger parking lot located at 601 Barton Springs Road was not in compliance with State Law, is to far fetched. The reason I believe this, is why did they switch the red and white towing signs that were not in compliance with signs that were in compliance, only after I exposed their criminal activity on this blog. (I photographed all the illegal towing signs posted at the curbcuts entering the parking lot on March 20th)

It was learned yesterday, that several vehicles towed illegally from this parking lot, were not reported to the Austin Police Department, as required by City Ordinance of the towing company, and that none of the 15 illegally towed vehicle were reported by the vehicle storage facility as being received, as required by State Law, Occupation Code 2308.256.

The owners of this towing company have a history with the Texas Attorney General and the State Comptroller from when they were operating under the name “A Better Wrecker Service” located at 4506 South Congress. This history includes a Judgment (C022334809) on file with Travis County, in addition to filed tax liens for both Franchise and Sales Tax these thieves pocketed, instead of remitting to the State, to fund the education of Texas’ school children, among other services.

The bottomline is this towing company scammed consumers in a major way, that the Austin Police Department Wrecker Enforcement Unit is pursuing criminal charges against Donald Creamer, who I observed towing vehicles from this parking lot, not in compliance with Texas State Law.

It is of vital importance that if your vehicle is towed from a private parking facility anywhere in Texas, you should file an online complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulations, because illegal towing is rampant across the state of Texas.

Whataburger Restaurants LP has exposed their corporation to Deceptive Trade Practice litigation that could be costly due to the large number of victims, over the past two years. This in my opinion would be an excellent class action for an attorney looking to make some money. All of the vehicle owners towed from this Whataburger parking lot during the SXSW Music festival could recover three times plus $300 in addition to their attorney fees, from Whataburger and the Central Towing Inc. Since Central Towing’s owners have a history of paying stealing sales tax money, knowingly towing vehicle without probable cause and verbally abusing consumers at their storage facility, victims would have a better chance of recovering their financial damages from Whataburger.

For additional information regarding illegal towing practices in Texas, you are urge to visit Texas Towing Compliance.

Anyone towed from this Whataburger prior to March 23, 2009 should call 512-974-5000 to file an offense report for a wrecker ordinance violation, in addition to contacting Detective Loosier at 512-974-8122 or email.

Over the past four days in Austin, Texas, the famed South by Southwest (SXSW) film and music festival took place, which more than 100,000 people attended. Of course, with a four day event, the towing of vehicles parked in parking lot in compliance with State Law happened. But, a returning towing scam, same towing scam that has occurred during three previous SXSW events, featured Central Towing Inc and Whataburger, knowingly violating the Occupation Code 2308.301(b)(5), that caused undue financial grief for more than 100 unsuspecting consumers.

You would think that Whataburger would have higher ethical standards to obey State Law, but with this continued towing scam to be allowed to happen 3 years in row, is just bad business ethics. Then the question comes to how Whataburger chose a corrupt towing company like Central Towing Inc, this company has changed its business name at least three times.

On Saturday night, I observed Donald Creamer, President, Central Towing Inc stash two impounds towed from the Whataburger at Barton Springs and South First to a “parking lot” (not a licensed vehicle storage facility) at the intersection of Elizabeth and South First Street. Shortly after stashing the first vehicle, (Black VW Beetle), a tow truck bearing the name Batts Wrecker Service arrives, by this time Creamer is pulling into the parking lot with another stashed impound (White Ford Escape SUV type). Batts then begins to load up the Escape, while Creamer heads back to Whataburger to steal another vehicle, (White Mini Cooper), then returns to the stash location. Once Creamer notices that I have been watching his criminal activity, he speeds away with the Mini Cooper.

You would think an Austin Towing Association member like Central Towing Inc would obey State Law, but when its association general counsel is nailed with a guilty verdict for criminal illegal towing, it can’t be expect that Central would obey the law.

What’s sad about the whole issue is that people came to Austin to enjoy the free music, only to become crime victims at the hand of Donald Creamer with Central Towing Inc and Whataburger Restaurants LP.

We can only hope that the Austin Police Department, Office of Attorney General Greg Abbott Consumer Protection Division and the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulations will shut this company down for good. Donald and Cathy Creamer are nothing more than petty thieves, who like other unscrupulous towing operators give the Towing Industry a bad reputation.

Anyone towed from a private parking lot is encouraged to file a complaint with the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulations.

In an illegal towing incident in Wills Point, Texas, a towing company, Fuller’s Towing and Recovery Service, towed a vehicle from the parking lot of Lone Star Grill that the Grill manager called wanted removed. The wrecker driver, who arrived at this parking lot, should have recognized there were none of the required red and white towing signs (Occupation Code 2308.301) that would have allowed the towing of a vehicle parked in a marked parking space without the owner or operator’s consent. But, as in the majority of nonconsent tows, the wrecker driver, sacrificed their integrity for the sake of financial gain, instead of telling the person who called, their parking lot was not in compliance with State Law.

It’s not like these towing company owners don’t know what is happening, a large number of towing companies who tow from private parking lots (PPI, Impounds, Tow Aways) without the vehicle owner or operator’s consent, have a criminal background, that are skilled in how to train their drivers, sales people and spotters how to deceive the public. Because of this cut throat business climate, towing companies who comply with State Law are losing clients because of financial benefits their competitors are giving to property managers and parking facility owners, while law enforcement ignores the facts.

The motoring public should always file an online complaint if your vehicle is towed without your permission.