Charlotte, NC – North Carolina’s attorney general, Josh Stein, has taken legal action against A1 Towing Solutions, Inc., and its owner, David Jewel Satterfield, amid disturbing allegations of racial targeting in their towing and booting practices.
Attorney General Stein made the announcement on Tuesday, revealing that the lawsuit stems from accusations that A1 Towing Solutions systematically and unlawfully targeted drivers based on their race. This troubling revelation has come to light alongside an ongoing lawsuit against the same company, previously accused of violating the state’s price gouging laws during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, A1 Towing Solutions, led by Satterfield, seized and immobilized trucks delivering essential goods and imposed exorbitant fees on the truck drivers for the release of their vehicles.
Stein commented, “This defendant hasn’t merely violated the law and inflicted harm on North Carolinians; he has done so by deliberately singling out Black individuals. Such conduct is not only morally wrong but also illegal. I am urging the court to intervene and put an end to this predatory and discriminatory behavior, as well as provide full financial restitution to the victims.”
Subsequent to the initial lawsuit, Attorney General Stein’s office received additional information that indicated a pattern of discrimination against African-Americans through illegal price gouging, towing, and booting. Out of the 14 complaints filed with Stein’s office, a staggering 11 were submitted by African-American individuals.
A comprehensive investigation conducted by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Division and Civil Rights Unit uncovered Satterfield’s alleged use of a practice known as “reverse redlining” to systematically target African-Americans. This practice entails treating specific communities unfairly, and it is alleged that Satterfield operated primarily in areas of Charlotte with a predominantly African-American population.
Notably, although African-Americans constitute 35% of Charlotte’s population, they accounted for a disproportionate 72% of the vehicles towed by Satterfield’s company during the period in question.
View the complaint here.
