Woman Can’t Park In Front Of Home

Ashley Burkholder has lived on the 500 block of Dale Street with her family for just over three years, and parks on the street right in front of her home, just like her lease indicates she should.

Monday, she looked out her window and saw a police officer and a tow truck next to her car. Burkholder said she ran out to ask why her car was about to be towed, and she said the police officer told her the vehicle was reported as abandoned.

Burckholder told KRDO NewsChannel13 her vehicle had been sitting in front of her home for three weeks because she was using her mothers car while she was out of town.

Police would not tell Burckholder who reported the vehicle as abandoned, and that a city ordinance trumps whatever her lease said. The ordinance indicates that any car parked in the same spot on a street for longer than 72 hours is deemed abandoned and could be towed if reported to police.

Burkenholder said she managed to convince the police officer that her car should not be towed because she proved it had been moved three days prior because a tree branch fell from a tree near the car.

Police have not returned KRDO NewsChannel13’s calls to explain the current policy on towing vehicles deemed abandoned, but the city website indicates that, due to budget cuts, no one can be sent out to handle abandoned vehicles unless it is causing some sort of danger. Burckholder said her vehicle was legally parked and not a danger.