Sepanski gets a little revenge for the way CCSO has treated him on numerous occassions. What goes around comes around.

That's real smart NDN publish the address for a cop's family. What the story would not have made sense without the address?

anybody else would be charged for the tow. go figures.....

The question is why this man is being given a pick up truck, get him something a bit more fuel efficient, in fact get all county employees small efficient vehicles unless they are specifically needed, cruisers for road cops, pick ups for landscaping jobs, but everyone else gets a little cheap economic fuel sipper.

Maybe even go hybrid and teach classes at Lorenzo Walker on Hybrid Mechanics and create jobs.

The Abby should be ashamed of themselves for not allowing a pick up in the development at 2:25 on Wednesday. How are people supposed to get work done on their apartments. The Abby should have paid for the tow bill. It's ashame that the deputy can't even have lunch with his parents on his lunch break. The Abby must have had their Rules and Regulations written by a bunch of gray hairs. Get a life Abby.

The only way the newspaper had the address is if the sheriff's office violated state law and gave it out. But, they can't follow state law and give out public records...still waiting..been what now, five weeks?

Gotta love those condo commandos!!!!!!

20 minutes? I hope the "Donald" wasn't visiting. How embarrassing would it be to have him see a pickup?

;-)

Heeee Heee Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee hee

Beetle wuvs this stuff.

An UNMARKED taxpayer paid for vehicle is TOWED...

BUT WAIT a MINUTE....why park in the designated areas...WHEN WE CAN PARK HERE ILLEGALLY?

Tee HEE tee HEE Tee HEE

This is FUNNY!
FUNNY!

Cracks me up!

And to think, taxpayers will probably pay for the release of the vehicle to the police officer.

FUNNY~! Wait a minute...he's not responsible?

FOR AN UNMARKED, taxpayer funded car?

PAY YOUR OWN WAY!

Exactly why I will never PAY to live in a neighborhood governed by such ridiculous "by-laws". I can somewhat agree with laws that prohibit work vehicles or cars and trucks with visible signage, but towing a visiting family member's vehicle in broad daylight, law enforcement or not, and not taking the time to simply knock on the door is crazy.

PARKED ILLEGALLY? Perks up the towing company.

NUF SAID.

Ya gotta love Homeowner ASSociations.

Or donkey people who decide to park illegally?
Whatever....park where U R supposed 2, and U will not B towed!

ROFL........What an arrogant doofus!

He should have paid the towing fee out of pocket. He broke the rule, the clearly marked rule.

As usual, the police get breaks the taxpayers don't.

How many unmarked pick-up trucks does Collier have? How many are given to veterans?

Once again, Andy has to cover for Barney. Barney should of paid that fine. Even Floyd would agree with me.

didn't the tow driver see all the pretty lights hidden in the grill of the truck when he hooked it up.

Shortrun -Not all that easy to tell unmarked vehicles anymore. And the CCSO has a wide range of unmarked vehicles now. I've seen at least 2 unmarked minivans. You know like a soccermom might drive. A Ford explorer Sport Trac ( this one possibly) All with pitch black tinted windows.
I saw a brand new blue Ford F150 recently and you couldn't tell. Dark tinted windows hid the pretty rear blue and red police lights and the front grill concealed the front lights very well.
Best bet is to look for the laptop computer mounted right next to the drivers seat. And/or the cage divider between front and rear seats.

Perhaps if more police officers and public officials were made to endure the humility of having to ransom their vehicles from the Naples parking lot pirates the County would make this practice a lot less appealing to the towing companies. One might go so far as to suggest that the County actually creates business for such scoundrels by consistently issuing business licenses to establishments who's occupancy exceeds parking capacity by 300%. Ironically the misleading headline reflects the initial thoughts realized by almost everyone who has ever had this experience.

"Anytime there is a report of a stolen vehicle, people mobilize," she said.

And the dispatcher said over the radio in an almost non audible murmur, make sure to look in the areas populated by hispanics and Haitians first.

"I don’t know how they reported it stolen," Sepanski said. "We called it in to the Sheriff’s Office. ... The way they handled it wasn’t really funny at all."

Yes it was.

As usual "predatory" private property towing causes issues all over the state, and when there is not an authorized person for the property there to sign for the tow, then the towing company is basically allowed to do what ever they so choose. I would bet dollars to pesos that if it was 1981 Dodge Omni, it would still be sitting there. Florida statutes do not allow the towing companies to file for a wrecker operator lien for a PPT, so take only what the consumer will pick up,not something that they will be stuck with. If they were not "patrolling" the lot, they would have not even towed the vehicle because the officer would have been gone by the time that they got there as their lot is greater than a 10 minute drive, and a dispatcher takes at least 5 minutes to take the call, so do the math.
As well, the vehicle was not parked illegally, it was just a pick up truck .

Legally towed. Hummm... no pickups sign. Isn"t a sport trac a crossover between a pickup and a Suv so technically not a pickup. Depriving an Officer of equipment is against the law. I say turn it over to the States attorney"s Office.

If the truck was parked illegally then it should've been towed. Why is that even questioned?
If it were anyone else they would've had to pay the fine, but since it was an undercover vehicle driven by a cop that makes him special? Hmmmm.
Seems like the CCSO is getting preferential treatment for being the CCSO.
Wonder what our new and improved and better Sheriff Rambosk would say...

What do you think Factteller?
To tow or not to tow?
Since your such an upstanding,intelligent, honorable cop, does he deserve the fine or preferential treatment?
I would love to hear your unbiased opinion oh wise one. Please do tell...

The truck was not parked illegally, to be parked illegally is to park an un-placarded vehicle in a handicapped space, or to park in a fire lane. To be in control of a truck parked in a guest space in a community that does not allow trucks is not illegal, it is in violation of association rules. Unless home owners associations are the new law, then the vehicle was not illegal, it was in violation of the rules. Towing companies across the state tow vehicles while being in violation of f.s.713.78 and f.s.715.07 (which are the tow laws for "for hire" towing in the state)... Now instead of being hateful towards the law enforcement officers that protect and serve the public from it's own stupidity, why not focus on the facts... or is that too easy....

The issue is not whether it was a police vehicle, nor whether it was legally parked. The property is a condominium and is private property. The parking at this property is regulated by an antiquated declaration of condominium dated April 1995, before pickup trucks became popular as daily passenger vehicles. The document addresses trucks, pickups, and vehicles without rear seats. A Ford Explorer Sport Trac is neither. It is classified as a passenger vehicle, SUV, by both the county and Ford web site (not listed as a pickup). It has rear passenger seating. I know, I happen to own one. It is about time that pickup trucks, with empty or covered beds, and without commercial markings, are accepted as passenger vehicles by these "Condo commandos". My "pickup" looks a heck of a lot nicer than half the cars parked in that parking lot.

This tow truck driver would have looked really stupid if the truck would have been there on official CCSO business. Even though the truck was "unmarked" it most likely still had the yellow "Sheriff" license plate which clearly identifies it as an official vehicle.

Tow truck companies are not allowed to tow municipal vehicles. This would also apply to any other county owned vehicle.

Ha! While I agree the "no pick-up" rule is antiquated, it is still currently a rule in this association. I had to fight my association tooth & nail just to get the board (which I am president)to at least put to a vote a change in the doc. We actually had to get 2 written reccomendations from 2 different lawyers to get the vote pushed through, which then passed. I actually presented 2 Florida State Court Judges decisions against this rule, in which the judges declared it unconstitutional, and still had to argue the point against the "good old boy condo commandos".

With the threat of the possibility of a future lawsuit, unit owners saw the light and the rule was changed, with restrictions added to the new truck rule. As soon as more associations know this, this rule will be ammended.

On the other hand, this rule was posted, and should have been followed. Why is it everytime someone feels a rule is "unfair", they also feel they have the right to ignore it?

when I moved here in 1989 I lived at the Abbey in Berkshire Lakes while I was looking to buy my first home in Naples. I lived there approximately one year. The condo association was the worst bunch of wanna-a-be's you have ever met. They paid a whooping $59,000 for thier condos and acted liked they lived in Port Royal. My friend almost had his small pick up towed while he was visiting one night but we were able to move it before that happened.

My friend lives over there. She has a car & the Condo commandos put a sticker on her car threatening to tow it, heres the kicker.....SHE HAS HER RESIDENT STICKER WHERE ITS SUPPOSED TO BE!!! She went back & forth with the president of the association for a couple weeks over that. They are tow happy over there, glad I don't live there.

doesn't anyone else realize that this is Vinny Anginolo's towing company and that Sepanski is a disgraced former NPD officer?

Just'a good ol' boys
Never meanin' no harm.
Beats all you never saw
Been in trouble with the law
Since the day they was born

Staightnin' the curves
Flatnin the hills
Someday the mountain might get 'em
But the law never will

Makin' their way
The only way they know how
That's just a little bit more
Than the law will allow.

Makin' their way
The only way they know how
That's just a little bit more
Than the law will allow.

I'm a good ol' boy
You know my momma loves me
But she don't undestand
They keep a showin my hands and not my face on TV

Yaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooo.

First of all most of you bloggers need to get your facts right. The towing company is not owned by "vinny" and Sepanski is not a digraced NPD officer. The truck was parked there for way longer than 20 minutes. And there iis a large sign stating NO Trucks. Its even very legible. If it had been me I would have made them show proof of ownership and pay the bill. The intimidation tactics used when picking the vehicle up shows the profound unprofessionalism of most of this agency.If I have to follow the rules I am pretty sure having badge does not make you exempt from them. Besides can't we all just get along?

Sheriff Hunter should make his Deputy pay for the tow himself.

Towing companies, cops, sounds like the Dukes of Hazzard, my all-time favorite american tv program from the 70's. Bo, Luke, Daisy, Uncle Jessse, Sheriff Rosco Purvis Coltrane, Boss Jefferson Davis (JD Hogg),Cotter, and Flash the Bassett Hound...

...and don't forget the General Lee, the main character.

correction: Cooter, 'crazy cooter' friend of the Dukes

And this man is a lieutenant? obviously he didn't make his rank by being intelligent. The really sad thing is that nothing will change when Rambosk takes office.

ke4ktz, sorry but you need to know that undercover vehicles don't necessarily have the yellow plate...in fact, most undercover/unmarked probably do NOT have the yellow plate. How in the heck are they supposed to be undercover if they have a bit yellow thing on it's rear end? I think the towing company should have made the deputy pay. And, for the person who posted he was there longer than 20 minutes...I wonder what the dispatch log says??? Maybe that's why it took a bit to get this in the paper...maybe some logs had to be changed???

It does not matter who owns the company. This is how the Florida Statutes should read...

2004 & 2005 US House of Representatives...

H.R 4860 & added amendment to H.R. 3, the safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which was signed into law in August 2005. The Cox-Moran amendment allows states the right to require that tow truck operators receive written permission from the property owner or an agent of the property owner before making a non-consensual or “trespass” tow from the owner’s property. It also permits states to require property owners requesting a “trespass” tow to be present or to have an agent of the owner present at the time the offending vehicle is towed.

Think about this one from the tow companies point of view...the CCSO has a "rotation tow list" most likely and that tow company is on it.

If they charge the CCSO for the truck tow and upset the brass, that tow company may find itself off of the tow list. The tow company has to look at losing the charges on this tow vs all of the future CCSO tows. Now that's BIG money.

It was a simple business decision and a professional courtesy (SEPANSKI DID WORK FOR NPD AT ONE TIME).

Sepanski knows that being on that rotation list is big money and protects it. No problem. Makes business sense to me. Not to mention Sepanski was probably a little ashamed after the CCSO showed him the registration comes back to them. Oops...sorry Brother...here's your truck back. It's on me.

Sepanski is a good guy. He does a good job at the tow company. He called the tow into the CCSO when he towed it. He has a contract with the HOA.

The Deputy did park in the correct parking space...the reason it was towed is that there are no trucks allowed in the community. The Deputy did not park in the fire lane or in the roadway.

I think the HOA should be ashamed of itself. Towing truck at 230pm, with no commercial markings. Trucks these days cost $25k to $40k. I guess a $500 "junker" car is allowed to park in that space then?

The problem is not the CCSO, the Lt, or Sepanski.

"THE PROBLEM" is the Home Owner's Assocation and their Condo Commanders that run it (no trucks allowed-trucks these days are fancier than most cars).

Thin Blue Line, although you are partially correct, the actual issue lies within the property owner/ manager. To allow a towing company to come onto private property and tow with out direction is the REAL issue. You would not allow an employee to pay himself out of a cash register drawer what ever he felt he was owed for his time at work, or allow that same employee to charge what ever he wanted for goods sold. So why, with the second most expensive purchase that a person makes, would you allow a private, unconnected company to come onto that property that you are responsible for and choose what is to be towed. The intelligent thing as the property manager or owner, would be to oversee what gets towed, and be there at the time of the tow so that you are aware when the owner calls after paying a often times large tow bill and screams at you for authorizing it????

NYEM, I watched that show religously back in the day. Never knew all the words to the theme song though, thanks for the lyrics!!!!

Sepanski was fired from the NPD for being caught lying in court and part of Vinny's law suit against the CCSO involves "His towing company"of which he is a minority owner being removed from the rotation list. http://www.naples-daily-news.com/news...

LOL! Crackers!

My god Micheal__Hunt it is apparent you do not read public record very well. Educate yourself before speaking. If you only knew the truth also way longer than 20 min . yes that too is public record to mothernature above check those logs you will find you are not educated either. The true question WILL CCSO Have their employees suck it up and say you know what I was wrong. I am not special because I have a badge. If you need help researching call county they may be of some service (LOL)LOL)

PEOPLE LET ME TELL YOU CALL COUNTY CODE ENFORCEMENT CHECK NAPLES CITY ORDINANCE NO COMMERCIAL VEHICLE IT APPLIES TO PICKUP TRUCKS EXAMPLE GOLDEN GATE CITY THIS INCLUDES CONDOS APTS EVEN YOUR RESIDENCE. STARTING FINES $250.00 NO PARKING ON YOUR OWN GRASS NO UNREGISTERED VEHICLE. YES CODE ENFORCEMENT CAN TOW OFF YOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY SO CAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THEY DO NOT NEED A SIGNED TOW TICKET. LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECTED TOWS ARE DOUBLE AND SEPT 9TH COUNTY COMMISS MEETING THEY PLAN TO TRIPLE RATE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT DIRECTED TOWS LOL DON'T GET PULLED OVER EXAMPLE NOW $6.50 A MILE TO AND FROM LOCATION. AND GOD FORBID YOU GET ANY COMMUNITY LEADER OR ENFORCER VEHICLE FRIEND OR FAMILY THEY WILL LET A FURY OF VENGANCE ON YOU AND THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM SAYING YOU TOWED THE WRONG PERSON. THE WORKING MAN MUST PAY THOUGH.THE TAX PAYER. THE PROBLEM IS NOT THE TOWING COMPANIES THEY ARE THE MIDDLE MAN THEY DON'T MAKE THESE RATES OR RULES UP ORDINACE 99.38 AS FAR AS THE COUNTY IS CONCERNED THEY ARE A NECESSARY EVIL. PS LOOK UP CITY ORDINACE. YOU CAN NOT EVEN STOP YOUR VEHICLE ON GULF SHORE BLVD ORDINACE SAYS IT IS TRESSPASSING AND THE LOL PART OF IT ALSO SAYS YOU ARE A NUCIENCE FOR STOPPING. AGAIN COUNTY DOES NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBLITY IN ENFORCEING THE RATES OR RULES THEY ONLY INSPECT A SELECT FEW TOW COMPANIES THATS BECAUSE THEY VOICE THEIR OPINION. NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG. THE TOW COMPANIES THAT ACTUALLY COMMIT CRIMES LAW ENFORCEMENT WON'T DO ANYTHING THEY WILL TELL YOU IT IS A CIVIL MATTER MY FRIENDS IF THERE IS A VIOLATION IN 713.78 OR 715.07 YOU INSIST ON CCSO TO TAKE REPORT IF THEY DO NOT COMPLAIN TO IA

PS MY COMMENTS ARE DIRECTED TO THOSE HIGHER UPS YOU HONEST HARD WORKING COPS AND ROAD GUY YOU KEEP UP THE GOOD JOB WITH ANY LINE OF WORK YOU HAVE THE GOOD AND THE BAD

zzcoupe, Although the rules for COMMERCIAL motor vehicles are what they are, a regulated "truck" per Collier County Ordinance 130-3 is over 1 ton not a Ford Explorer Sport Track which is registered and titled under a station wagon class, look at a title. The rules for a law enforcement tow DO NOT APPLY with private property towing. when the towing is done from private property the towing company is "contracted" with the management company to remove vehicles not because the vehicle belongs to the LEO. The county has nothing to do with private property "ROAM"or predatory towing which is as close to grand theft auto as you can get. And if there is a violation of 713.78 f.s. or 715.07 f.s., you do not call CCSO, the proper LEGAL way to handle the situation is to go to the court house and BOND THE CAR OUT unless it is an issue with a wrecker operator lien on a private tow then the issue is a body file through DVSMV and months of battling with the tax collector in the county in which the lien was filed, when that does not work, then a civil suit with the towing company so that the original tow ticket along with the property receipt(different then the private property tow slip that is signed by property owner/agent) from law enforcement is produced. So since misinformation apparently is the topic, please lead the way......

DHSMV SORRY, NOT DVSMV

It's not just the Abby, it's ALL of Berkshire,Villiage,Lakes, ALL of it! They might not tow you, but, they will fine you, $100.00 the first time, and it gets worse after that.

I'll have to agree with posting #1 Sepanski was a cop with NPD with bad history that ended his career. He has been working with the local police departments while on their list of wreckers since the day he took over that towing company. He knows darn well what a Police Vehicle looks like, as I'm sure he knew this one was. Why couldn't he have just callled the Sheriff's Office and tell them that he received a call for the Condo Association about the vehicle, they would have located the officer by radio, or phone, he would have moved it and all would have been resolved in a frienldy manner. If it were a "Private Vehicle" I could understand that it would be impossible to find a way to contact the owner or driver, but this being a "police car" it would not have been difficult to resolve.

Makes one wonder what kind of a cop he was back in his days......he probably wrote more parking violations ticket than anyone else. I'm sure that whenever he or any of his drivers get pulled-over the first thing out of their mouth is "hey I tow for you guys", well this where I say from now on its "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" for A.A. Towing. He just gave a bad wrap to all the towing companies in town.

Shame on the Sepanski's

sepanski is an idiot, also heard about the lying on the witness stand, they all lie. if your illegally parked you get towed period. doesn't make a difference if you have a badge or not. suck it up your wrong!

sepanski is a known bad guy, he the biggest problem we have in collier county. the sheriff's office wants him gone. It will happen. He is easy to set up. Sooner the better!!!

*247tow* your whole last statement sounds like a straight up threat to Sepanski, Its blatantly obvious that you have a problem with him. I would like to point out that this is not the place for name bashing. This article was written in the defense of the sheaf's department, for what they did to get there car back FEE FREE, which was a complete and ridiculous abuse of power. If your going to threaten somebody why don't you spend you time and energy on threaten the officers who harassed and embarrassed Sepanski's company.

ok... to all the "smart ones" who seem to know so much....Tom didn't do the tow first of all. I know this because a fellow tower of mine did it. The vehicle had a regular florida tag, no apparent flashers in the grill, was not registered, tag does not belong to vehicle, the sheriffs department was called ten minutes before the guy even knew it was missing, the sheriff department didn't even know it was thier's when they were notified. And it gets better they put a chopper in the air and 15 plus squad cars running around like crazy wasting fuel. Now... this is not the first time an undercover vehicle has been towed before, but every other veteran seems to know to check the front of the complex for a tow away sign and call the tow company first before reporting it stolen. But once again incompetence prevails. Not to mention the lying as the gentleman towed was parked there for enough time for my friend to clean up an accident drop it at the yard go over load his unmarked up, dolly it and get it back to the yard and called in with 10 minutes before he even knew it was gone. Wow amazing. Collier County's finest. lol what a joke.

OK TOWFLORIDA i know who you are and your coments and disertation is very wrong. You are a lobbyist and are not welcome in Collier County. You should stick with your freinds in Ft Myers. The PRESIDENT of HOA called that SUV (not a station wagon) in to be towed. I do not know who invited you into our county commisioners meeting but I am pretty sure that we can handle our own problems with out you. And for 247tow, If you have such a problem with Sepanski you should MAN enough to confront him face to face. And not make idle threats in an internet blog. We are all business people who have a job to do. We would have soooo many less problems if every one would quit worrying about what every one else does in this county. IN PLAIN ENGLISH MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND DO YOUR JOB. HAVE A NICE DAY