After losing her Altadena home, Lisa Brounstein-Gaffney was billed for the towing of her burned car, moved to clear emergency access during the Eaton Fire by the California Highway Patrol. Amber Frias reports for the NBC4 News at 7 p.m. on February 27, 2025.
Weeks after the Eaton Fire destroyed her home and everything she owned, an Altadena woman received a bill for the towing of her charred car.
The car was moved to clear emergency access and Lisa Brounstein-Gaffney, an Altadena resident, was fronted the bill for it.
“I’m angry. I’m sad. I miss my life, my house. I miss the community,” Gaffney said. “Some of the things we had were very valuable but the things that have no value are like the gut punch.”
But now, on top of the task of rebuilding, she is dealing with a new, unexpected financial burden.
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“Finally our mail started getting forwarded to the PO box and I got this bill that the car has been towed and they are going to charge us $587 for the two and $71 a day for storage and we need to deal with that,” said Gaffney.
Days before she received the bill, Gaffney reported the 1998 Toyota Camry to her insurance company and they had taken over the car.
“I reached out to AAA and the guy I was dealing with is no longer there so what am I supposed to do? It's not my car. Plus what was I supposed to do? Go pick up the car with a dolly? There was no way I was going to drive the car away,” Gaffney said.
Gaffney, who believed she was victim to a tow-truck scam, immediately contacted police who informed her that the California Highway Patrol had been towing cars to make roads accessible for utility workers.
The California Highway Patrol had been authorized to do the work, according to Kathryn Barger, LA County Supervisor.
Gaffney’s insurance has stepped in to cover the costs.
“It's ridiculous that something punitive like this would happen during such a horrible time,” Gaffney said. “People on the outside don't know what it is that we’re going through. We all need Grace and we all need people to be gentle with us because we’re doing the best we can really.”
Supervisor Barger’s office urges people in similar situations to apply to the LA County Relief Fund for financial help related to fires. The application closes March 12.
More information on how to apply can be found here.
