Woman irked by tow fees after witnessing crash
Single mother traumatized after her car was impounded as evidence in fatal crash
Jasmine Carter was upset that she had to pay fees to get her car back after it was towed by Oakland police. Her SUV was evidence in a crash in which another driver took off after hitting motorcyclist Stanley Logwood, who died.
OAKLAND, Calif. - A single mother from Oakland was frustrated over having to pay tow fees for her car, which was evidence in a deadly hit-and-run crash caused by another driver.
But after KTVU stepped in on Wednesday, Oakland police agreed to waive the fees.
Jasmine Carter had been upset over having to pay hundreds in dollars in fees to get her Nissan Rogue out of impound.
"This is not right," she said. "I have two small kids."
Her voice breaking, she added, "I'm heartbroken because I was not the suspect. Like I was not involved. I didn't hit him, so I feel like I'm being wrongly accused."
It all began at about 10:10 p.m. Thursday at 79th Avenue and International Boulevard in East Oakland.
"I seen it and heard everything," Carter said.
Carter was driving east on International when she saw a motorcyclist, Stanley Logwood, get knocked off his bike after he was hit by a white Pontiac Vibe.
"He was going the same speed as his motorcycle that was sliding," Carter said.
KTVU caught up with Logwood's girlfriend at the scene.
"They play like they was gonna make a left onto East 14th (International) and they didn't make a left. They made a right. And I guess hit his bike," the woman said.
The impact sent the motorcycle into Carter's Nissan Rogue. The victim died at the scene, and the driver of the Pontiac took off.
Oakland police told Carter they were taking her SUV for evidence, so she spent money on a rental car.
"My last $500," she said. "I had to pay out of pocket to cover for my rental car."
On Tuesday, she was stunned to learn that her Nissan had been towed - and that she'd have to pay $700 to get it back. What's more, she said she was told her car was actually ready on Monday.
Carter said the city had agreed to waive $300 in storage fees but that she's still responsible for the rest. That, she says, is unfair.
"No one never followed up or anything or reached out to me. It was like I took the initiative to reach out to them," Carter said.
KTVU reached out to Oakland police and got some good news.
"After you brought it to our attention, which we certainly appreciate Henry, we looked into it and our commander of the traffic division has arranged for the fees to be waived," said Officer Johnna Watson, an Oakland police spokeswoman.
Police said they did contact Carter on Monday, the first day her was could be released. But Watson said police recognize that Carter was the victim of a traumatizing incident.
Carter says she didn't get any notification on Monday but is grateful that her fees have been waived.
She said her heart goes out to Logwood's family. "I pray they catch the person who caused all this to happen," she said.
Logwood's family has set up a Gofundme account.