A North Carolina towing company owner who has been the subject of consumer complaints for years is facing fresh criminal charges just months after reaching a court agreement with the North Carolina Attorney General over allegations of predatory towing practices.
Attorney General Jeff Jackson recently highlighted the case as an example of the state’s efforts to crack down on towing companies accused of violating consumer protection laws. According to Jackson, the legal action against David Satterfield, owner of A1 Towing and Automobile Recovery and Parking Enforcement, sends a strong message that businesses engaging in unlawful towing practices will face consequences.
Attorney General Says Court Order Sets New Standard
In a recently released video, Attorney General Jeff Jackson said the case establishes an important precedent for handling predatory towing operations in North Carolina.
Jackson stated that companies failing to follow state laws and consumer protection rules would be held accountable, pointing to the court order involving Satterfield’s businesses as an example of the state’s enforcement efforts.
The Attorney General’s Office previously announced that the judgment was the first of its kind in North Carolina involving allegations of discriminatory towing practices.
State Accused Company of Predatory Towing Practices
According to the state’s lawsuit, Satterfield and his towing companies were accused of engaging in several unlawful business practices, including:
- Charging vehicle owners as much as $4,400 to recover a single vehicle.
- Allegedly targeting Black drivers through discriminatory towing practices.
- Threatening customers with increasing fees if they delay payment.
- Improperly booting and towing commercial trucks that were transporting essential supplies such as food, water, and medical equipment during a declared state of emergency.
State officials argued that these practices violated North Carolina consumer protection laws and unfairly burdened drivers.
Complaints Against Driver Date Back More Than a Decade
Local television station Channel 9 reported that complaints involving Satterfield stretch back at least ten years.
The station reviewed previous complaints submitted by viewers and uncovered documentation dating back a decade, including receipts and customer reports involving towing charges.
One former customer, Bill Grifenhagen, shared his experience from roughly ten years ago.
Grifenhagen said he was volunteering with a Charlotte nonprofit organization delivering meals to people in need when his vehicle was towed.
According to him, he had only stepped away from his vehicle for a very short period.
“I swear, from the time I went to the trunk of my car, got the food, walked across the street, walked up the flight of stairs, rang the bell and gave the person the food, I’ll bet it was a maximum of two to three minutes,” Grifenhagen said.
He described the towing incident as unnecessary and motivated by profit.
“That’s just basic greed. There’s just no reason for somebody to do that,” he said.
New Criminal Charges Filed Against Satterfield
In addition to the civil case brought by the Attorney General’s Office, Satterfield is now facing several new criminal charges in separate incidents.
According to reports:
Mecklenburg County Incident
In May, Satterfield was charged after authorities alleged he pointed a firearm directly at another person’s face during an incident in Mecklenburg County.
Gaston County Incident
During the same month, prosecutors in Gaston County filed additional charges accusing Satterfield of:
- Backing his tow truck into another vehicle while someone remained inside.
- Moving two occupied vehicles using his tow truck.
- Pepper-spraying one of the occupants in the face during the confrontation.
Those criminal cases remain pending.
Court Agreement Requires Financial Restitution
As part of the court order resolving the Attorney General’s lawsuit, Satterfield agreed to several conditions designed to compensate affected consumers and prevent future violations.
Among the requirements:
- Repay tens of thousands of dollars to customers who were allegedly mistreated.
- Comply with consumer protection rules governing towing operations.
The agreement also includes financial consequences if the terms are violated.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, failure to meet the court’s conditions could require Satterfield’s companies to pay more than $100,000 in additional penalties.
State Continues Efforts Against Predatory Towing
North Carolina officials say the case represents part of a broader effort to protect motorists from unfair towing practices.
The Attorney General’s Office has encouraged consumers who believe they have been victimized by unlawful towing companies to report incidents so investigators can determine whether additional enforcement action is necessary.
Authorities have not announced whether the recent criminal charges will affect the existing court order involving Satterfield’s towing businesses.
The new criminal allegations remain separate from the Attorney General’s civil enforcement case, and the charges have not yet been resolved in court. Satterfield is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
