DOJ Sues California Tow Company for Illegally Auctioning Military Vehicles

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued S & K Towing, Inc., based in San Clemente, California, for illegally auctioning or disposing of up to 148 vehicles owned by active-service military personnel. These violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) occurred over nearly five years, from August 2020 through April 2025. The SCRA requires towing companies to secure court orders before selling vehicles owned by servicemembers.

Many of the vehicles were removed from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where S & K held a contract mandating compliance with all applicable laws. Despite this, the company failed to respect protections accorded to servicemembers, putting their property at risk without due legal process.

The impact extends to military members who rely on such protections while serving, as unauthorized sales can result in significant personal and financial loss. The lawsuit underscores the government’s commitment to uphold legal safeguards for servicemembers’ rights and to hold companies accountable for violations.

This case also serves as a warning to contractors working with military bases to strictly follow federal laws designed to protect personnel, emphasizing the importance of legal compliance in safeguarding servicemembers’ interests.

#ServicemembersCivilReliefAct #MilitaryVehicles #CampPendleton #SCTowingLawsuit #MilitaryPersonnelRights

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