Boyce Cashion parked next to his chiropractor's office in Concord for a 30-minute appointment. He came out to find his car gone and a $325 bill from AVG Towing waiting for him.
"$325.. And he said he was cuttin' me a deal," Cashion told Queen City News in a report published Friday, Aug. 14.
Cashion said the chiropractor's lot was full, so he pulled into an adjacent lot that appeared unmaintained, with grass growing and no obvious signage. He was inside roughly 30 to 35 minutes. When he walked out, the tow truck driver was already hooking up another vehicle. The driver pointed to a sign at the entrance driveway as justification.
The City of Concord confirmed it has no authority over the situation. In an emailed statement to Queen City News, city officials said the city received two calls in September 2025 about parking disputes between businesses at the same location. Callers were told it was a civil matter.
The city does not regulate parking or signage on private property, officials said. Property owners set their own restrictions and enforce them as they see fit.
That hands-off position reflects a 2014 N.C. Supreme Court ruling that stripped municipalities of the power to cap towing fees on private lots, according to Yes! Weekly's reporting on the state's towing landscape. North Carolina has no statewide cap on towing fees. Companies can set their own rates but must disclose them and provide itemized bills.
Attorney general warns towing companies statewide
The Concord complaint comes about a month after North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson posted a video to social media on July 15 warning towing companies that his office would pursue aggressive enforcement against predatory practices.
Jackson cited A1 Towing in Charlotte as a case study, saying the company had towed vehicles without authorization, charged up to $4,000 for releases, double-booted vehicles to inflate fees and racially targeted customers. He said rule-following companies have nothing to worry about, but those breaking the law face "a new playbook" from his office.
Whether AVG Towing's practices cross any legal line remains unclear. The Better Business Bureau has no ratings or reviews for the company, and AVG Towing has not responded to media inquiries.
What drivers can do
Cashion's chiropractor has since posted a warning on the office's front door advising patients not to park in the adjacent lot.
Cashion told Queen City News he believes towing companies are cruising the area looking for victims. Under current state law, enforcement against predatory practices falls to the attorney general's office rather than local government.
Residents who believe they have been subjected to predatory towing can file a complaint with the N.C. Department of Justice at ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint.
