“The Van Jura Incident”
This is a follow up to Carrie Cassidy’s article in today’s Patriot-News regarding mistreatment of customers shakedown victims of Don’s Towing on Cameron Street in Harrisburg.
Cassidy contacted me last week after doing some Google research on Don’s Towing- and this here blog- God love it- was the number one source of information regarding this company who has held a contract to handle the city’s towing since nineteen seventy eight.
Cassidy reported how Dennis Early- the brother of Ray Thorn Jr., who was killed in a motorcycle accident recently- was forced to fork over nearly a thousand dollars- and only had the amount reduced to five hundred after the intervention from Council President Linda Thompson.
When Cassidy and I spoke on the phone, we conversed for about ten minutes. And I explained, in the most colorful terms possible, my opinion of Don’s Towing.
Mike Van Jura, a concert promoter known as JerseyMike, said in the roughly four years he’s lived in the city, he’s had his Saab boot ed twice for unpaid parking tickets. The only time it was towed was when it was hit by another car and pushed partially in the road, he said.
Van Jura said the Saab had been on Don’s lot for 12 hours when he called to find out how much he owed. When he was told the bill was $150 and there was nothing he could do about it, Van Jura said he asked to speak with Don, who promptly got on the phone.
“He knew I was com plaining about the amount owed and, as a way to try to intimidate me, he said, ‘You got the boss, now you owe $175. Wanna keep complaining? I’ll make it more,’” Van Jura said. “So that was a power trip on his part.”
Fisher said that he didn’t recall the Van Jura incident, but that sometimes he says things like that when customers aren’t treating him or his staff properly. Van Jura probably didn’t have to pay that extra $25, Fisher said. Van Jura confirmed that.
What I also offered the reporter was a slew of comments left on this site regarding instances of other misdoings by Don’s over the course of thirty years.
And the quote that was used from me was quickly rebutted by Don- he claimed that he didn’t recall “the Van Jura incident” – well, Donnie- let me remind you-
http://jerseymike.org/2008/01/the-people-vs-dons-towing/
From Stephanie in the comments: The operator said that he wouldn’t if I gave him money, so I went across the street to the ATM and couldn’t get money out at the time; I can’t recall why. I explained this to the driver, so he agreed to take all my jewelry, watches, rings, necklace, in lieu of the money I “owed.”
http://jerseymike.org/2008/01/so-much-for-carpooling-my-saga-with-dons-and-the-city/
The guy wouldn’t unhook her car until she gave him $20 to NOT tow it away. When my landlord told me my house came with 1 parking space he had failed to mention I had to register the plate numbers & car makes of the cars that would be parking there regularly, up to 3 three cars. My mother was pissed of course, I gave her $20 to replace what she spent, but she only came 1 other time to visit me after that.
http://jerseymike.org/2008/01/true-story/
Don’s was called in by the temple to tow his car. well, the car owner came right over and didn’t want to be towed so got in his car to try to move it.the tow truck driver and then, Don himself, proceeded to beat on this man through his sun roof. the man had a heart attack and died on the spot. this is a true story, I was a witness. It went to trial and of course, Don’s towing company was found not guilty. It was July 1987, true to God story…and it appears that some things with Don’s have never changed!!!
About 20 years ago I had my vehicle towed from a lot near the old Metron on Cameron Street. I got back to my vehicle as the tow truck driver had 1 hook or strap under attached.
I told him I was the owner and wanted my car put down because I was leaving. He refused and actually threatened me and my 3 buddies with a wrench and tapped his waistband like he had a gun under his coat.
We never made any threatening gestures, yelled or acted badly towards the driver. We tried reasoning with him….”can’t you cut us break…..tell your boss the car was gone, etc.” No dice.
I had to walk up Cameron Street and pay $40 or $50 to get my car back that they had all of about 12 minutes. We got to the office and explained the situation to see if they would cut it in half since they really only had the car a few minutes and that we were back at the car and the driver didn’t even really have it hooked up.
Same treatment – ol’ Don comes out and says you want it to be $100? Acts all big and bad….now, myself and the 3 guys I’m with all were starting college football players and could have wiped out the entire office. We just laughed at Don and these idiots and paid the “fee” and left.
But, to this day I still would llike to punch his lights out. He’s a dirt bag and I hope he gets colitis or some illness like that. That would be most fitting.
MAN! I’m sorta glad I’m not alone on my hatred-of-Don’s.
And for a minute there, I thought that *I* was the most hated guy in Harrisburg.
DOWN WITH DON’S!
I know someone who’s car got towed to Don’s by the cops b/c they had expired registration. The cop wouldn’t let him get his stuff out, and he had a PS3 in the trunk and some other stuff that Don’t helped themselves to.