This website and the documents it makes are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney.
Guides and research: how towing works in College Station and Bryan
Plain-language guides for people who were towed, and the audits, reports and court rulings behind them. Each summary is ours; follow the link to read the original.
Newest first. Government reports are public records; the others belong to their authors, so we link to them and do not post copies.
Local towing company accused of illegal and unethical business practices
Law journal article · KBTX · · Covers: College Station (Northgate)
Business owners and patrons told KBTX their cars were towed from a $5 cash pay lot near Northgate after they had paid. The company's owners denied wrongdoing, called the payment system simple and effective, and said most complaints lacked merit.
Why it matters: Background to the appeals decisions about the same lot from 2021 to 2025.
The report describes allegations; the company disputed them. Court outcomes are listed below.
Court rulings about towing in College Station and Bryan. A case decides the dispute in front of the court; whether it applies to a tow depends on the facts.
Brazos Valley Roadrunners, LLC v. Hargrove, 628 S.W.3d 607 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2021, pet. denied) (). Transferred from the Waco court. Upheld a finding that there was no probable cause to tow a truck from a College Station $5 cash lot when the driver left for under five minutes to get cash and then paid before leaving.
Brazos Valley Roadrunners, L.P. v. Cichy, No. 10-19-00424-CV (Tex. App.—Waco, mem. op.) (). Affirmed a $360 judgment for a driver towed about an hour after paying the lot fee; the court limited its holding to those facts.
Brazos Valley Roadrunners, L.P. v. Lee, No. 10-19-00251-CV (Tex. App.—Waco, mem. op.) (). Decided the same day as Cichy, with the same result on similar facts at the same lot.
Brazos Valley Roadrunners, LLC v. Niles, No. 10-21-00278-CV (Tex. App.—Waco, mem. op.) (). Affirmed that a car parked in a paid, numbered space on a game day was authorized and that the tow lacked probable cause.
Brazos Valley Roadrunners, LLC v. Herrera, No. 10-23-00328-CV (Tex. App.—Waco) (). Held that a tow-hearing appeal tried in county court follows justice-court rules, so attorney's fees could be requested orally; reduced the fee award to $750.