Martinez Aide Murillo Pays Fees, Gets Car Back

Rudy Murillo, chief aide to San Diego City Councilman Uvaldo Martinez, retrieved his car from a police impounding garage Friday after the vehicle had been impounded for $846 in unpaid parking fines and back registration fees, a police spokesman said.

Murillo’s car had been towed from the 1600 block of India Street on Wednesday after a city traffic officer on routine patrol noticed that the 1980 Audi had not been registered in two years, according to Mike Rubalcava, police impound officer. A check with the state Department of Motor Vehicles showed $443 in outstanding parking fines for the vehicle, the spokesman said. Murillo found out about the seizure when he reported the car missing Wednesday, Rubalcava said.

Murillo picked the car up Friday after presenting proof that he had payed the $403 in registration fees and $443 for 14 outstanding parking citations, said Tom Thompson, manager of Mission Garage. He said Murillo also had to pay $38 for towing fees and $14 for two days of impoundment. Murillo reportedly attempted to retrieve the car Thursday night but was rebuffed by a night man at the garage, Thompson added.

Rubalcava said it is normal procedure to tow cars that are found to have registration tags more than a year old.

Martinez’s office reported Friday that Murillo will be out of town until Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.

Murillo’s name has appeared frequently in the news in recent months, after he and Martinez were discovered to have charged more than $10,600 in meals on a city-issued credit card. The San Diego County district attorney’s office is conducting a criminal investigation of that case.