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Drivers who had car towed in Hollywood face $409 fee
Drivers who had their car towed in Hollywood during the Oscars on Sunday faced a $409 fee.
LOS ANGELES - Frustration is boiling over in Hollywood after dozens of cars were towed blocks away from the Oscars venue, leaving residents and workers scrambling to find their vehicles and pay hundreds of dollars to get them back.
The towing happened on some streets more than half a mile from the Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards take place.
Witnesses say tow trucks moved block by block Sunday morning, hauling away vehicles parked outside apartments and businesses.
"Like tons of cars. About 100 at least," said Maryann King, who took photos of the tow trucks.
Cars were taken to an impound lot where drivers were told it would cost at least $409 to retrieve their vehicles.
"They should change the Oscar name to Caesar, because they’re just loading up," said Cris Tomas, who works nearby and watched the towing unfold. "My pockets are hurting too."
Others described the scene as chaotic.
"I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. It was a frenzy," King said.
King also photographed parking signs posted in the area. Some signs read "No parking 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday only," even though cars were being towed Sunday morning. Other nearby signs referenced Sunday restrictions.
She said the conflicting messages created confusion for drivers — and even officers.
"The signs even confused the officers issuing tickets," King said. "When I questioned, ‘Does this sign make sense to you?’ they were like, ‘No. We don’t know why we’re giving tickets.’"
The towing stretched well beyond the immediate red carpet area.
According to witnesses, vehicles were being towed along Wilcox Avenue and other nearby streets like Vine Street.
"There’s a high school down the street. There’s so much of people’s lives that have to be accommodated for this," said a nearby resident who identified herself as Lyric. "I love the Oscars — great. Hope to be there someday, but it’s definitely frustrating."
Outside apartments and businesses, streets normally packed with parked cars were left empty.
"They towed the whole Vine Street. They towed employee vehicles," Tomas said.
Some residents say major events shouldn’t come at the expense of the people who live and work in the neighborhood.
"Because these big parties are happening, it doesn’t mean people stop living," King said. "You can’t just remove human beings and charge them for their existence just because you’re going to have a party."
Drivers whose cars were towed were instructed to call 311 to locate their vehicles. When FOX 11 called, operators provided another number for a tow yard, which confirmed the retrieval fee tied to Oscars enforcement was $409.
FOX 11 reached out to Los Angeles city officials and the city's Department of Transportation responded with the following statement:
"The City issues permits for major events that require road closures and LADOT posts temporary no parking signs a minimum of 48 hours in advance. Permittees are primarily responsible for communicating closures and other event impacts to residents, with LADOT supplementally posting information online and on the Department's social media platforms. LADOT posted signs on Vine Street to restrict parking on Friday for Academy Awards event setup, as well as signs to restrict parking on Sunday for the event itself. Motorists can request a hearing if they believe their vehicle was towed in error by visiting https://ladotparking.org/adjudication-division/request-impound-hearing/."