Parked Commercial Vehicles Targeted

The cost of doing business for commercial vehicle operators and owners who flout parking laws may be about to increase.

The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to crack down on commercial vehicles that stop or park, attended or unattended, on a bridge, and those that park on any public street for more than three hours.

Violators will receive tickets and be subject to tow.

The two garages authorized to handle heavy duty vehicles, Continental Truck Towing in Los Angeles and Howard Sommers Towing in Canoga Park charge $153 per hour, the rate set by the city.

It often takes two or more hours to prepare and tow, for instance, an 18-wheeler.

Add to that a $40 city fee and $21.50 for storage, 10% of which is charged for Los Angeles city parking tax.

“It can get real expensive in a real big hurry to get your [vehicle] impounded,” said Dan Pilmaier, an employee of Howard Sommers Towing.

The council also directed the Los Angeles Police Department to investigate a May 9 accident involving an illegally parked moving van which led to the death of Emily Pilkinton, 17. The police will cite the van’s owner for vehicle code violations, and refer the case to prosecutors.

The car in which the Granada High School student was riding struck the van on the Wilbur Avenue bridge over the Reagan Freeway in Porter Ranch.

Although the car driver’s view might have been obscured at the time, officials said the truck should not have been parked on the bridge.