Connecticut Towing Laws Can Lead to Vehicles Being Sold

 Posted on November 19, 2025 in Criminal Law

For most people, the ability to drive is essential. Cars are needed to get to and from work while also taking care of other responsibilities, such as running errands, transporting children to and from school, or attending medical appointments. The loss of a vehicle can be devastating. Unfortunately, due to the laws in Connecticut that detail when vehicles can be towed and whether they may be sold afterward, people who are charged with traffic violations or other offenses could face serious difficulties.

Because of the risks that people may face if their cars are towed, immediate action will need to be taken to recover vehicles. An attorney with experience addressing traffic laws and property that has been seized can provide guidance on how to address these issues and recover a towed vehicle as quickly as possible.

Vehicle Towing Laws in Connecticut

There are a variety of reasons why vehicles may be towed. Many of these cases involve parking violations, including situations where people who live in apartment complexes or condominiums park in certain spaces without the proper permits. Cars may also be towed due to unpaid parking tickets or other traffic violations. In some cases, a car that has been reported stolen may be towed, even if the person driving it believes that they purchased the car legally.

After a vehicle has been towed, the owner should be able to retrieve it by paying the associated fines or other related costs, such as towing and storage fees. However, the laws in Connecticut allow towers to sell vehicles in certain situations. If a car is valued at $1,500 or less, the tower can take steps to sell the vehicle, and they can do so after 15 days have passed since the vehicle was towed.

These laws put many people at a disadvantage, especially when they have low incomes and are unable to gather the money necessary to reclaim a vehicle within 15 days. In cases where there are disputes related to a vehicle’s registration, the time needed to make an appointment with the DMV and establish ownership of the vehicle may be more than 15 days.

How People May Be Harmed by the Abuse of Towing Laws

While the difficulties that people face when their vehicles are towed are bad enough, there are additional concerns about abuses of the system. Investigators have uncovered information about a scheme used by a DMV employee to profit from cars that have been towed. The employee is accused of providing favorable treatment to a towing company, which then allowed him to purchase towed vehicles at discounted rates and then resell them for a profit.

Between 2015 and 2019, Dominik Stefanski purchased 15 vehicles from D&L Auto Body & Towing through a company that he owned. In many cases, these vehicles were purchased for much less than their actual value and resold at a profit to used car dealers, who went on to sell them for even higher prices. For example, the towing company reported that one vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, was worth only $1,000 because it had been stripped of its doors and wheels. After Stefanski purchased the vehicle, it was resold to a dealer, with doors and wheels intact, for $13,500. It was then sold to a customer for over $28,000, and Stefanski received a commission on the sale.

DMV investigators who looked into this case in 2020 recommended criminal charges against Stefanski and two employees at the towing company for larceny and fraud. However, the prosecutor in the case declined to file charges. Stefanski was allowed to continue working at the DMV until 2025, when he was fired after his actions came to light in a news story.

Contact Our Hartford Traffic Violation Defense Attorneys

Because of the laws that may apply when vehicles are towed and the short time limits in which a vehicle can be recovered before it may be sold, it is crucial to act quickly in these situations. At Woolf & Ross Law Firm, LLC, our Connecticut traffic violation lawyers can help people fight against tickets or other issues that could result in a vehicle being towed, and we can help ensure that the right steps are taken to get a vehicle back as quickly as possible. To get legal help with these issues, contact us at 860-290-8690 and set up a free consultation.