A local towing company, Tony's Auto Center, has agreed to pay up after allegations surfaced that they illegally auctioned off a car owned by a U.S. Navy Lieutenant during his deployment. The servicemember, Lieutenant Jonathan Liongson, was deployed on the USS Bunker Hill when his 2011 Mazda 6 was towed due to expired registration and later sold at an auction, violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The SCRA is meant to protect the rights of military personnel by prohibiting the sale of their property without a court order while on active duty. The Chula Vista Police Department impounded the Lieutenant's vehicle, while Tony's Auto Center sold it without legal permission. Lieutenant Liongson, unaware of what transpired, returned from his deployment to discover his car gone – a discovery that led to an investigation by federal authorities.
The settlement includes a $7,500 compensation for Lieutenant Liongson and a $2,000 civil penalty against Tony's Auto Center, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office. Moreover, the towing company has been ordered to update its policies to prevent future SCRA violations. U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon highlighted the importance of the SCRA, stating, "The SCRA protects the rights of the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces," and emphasized that servicemembers "should not have to worry about their cars being auctioned off while they are deployed on missions defending our freedoms, liberties and rights."
