Western Express, Inc.: Trucking companies file $5 million lawsuit against A1's Towing & Hauling

MEMPHIS, Tenn.- Three trucking companies that say their 18-wheelers were illegally booted and towed by A1's Towing and Hauling have filed a $5 million racketeering lawsuit against the company. The 56-page civil suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee by Western Express, Inc., MHT Group, Inc., and Church Transporation and Logistics, accuses A1's Towing and S-Line parking of preying on commercial truck drivers in violation of the federal anti-racketeering act, RICO. A1-civil-suit Download The owner of A1's Towing & Hauling, Colton Ahmad Cathey, A1's Towing & Hauling, CAC Operations LLC, A1's Xclusive, LLC, A1's Car Hauling, LLC, A1's House, A1's Aplex Memphis, Acord Security, S- Line, LLC, S-Line Truck Parking and 1-10 John Does are listed as plaintiffs in the case. Driver stays in truck 33 hours to avoid being towed by A1's The lawsuit alleges that Cathey also owns or manages S-Line Parking and has been operating his towing business with several assumed names. Attorneys for the trucking companies say Cathey and S-line illegally harassed, intimidated, assaulted, hijacked, or held hostage the plaintiff's trucks until they paid exorbitant and unlawful fees to get them released. The defendants are also accused of fraud, wire fraud, interfering and violating Tennessee towing statutes and the Tennessee Booting Consumer Protecting Act, and interfering with commerce by threat or violence. "This whole thing is impeding interstate commerce in and around Memphis, and they stretch into northern Mississippi and stretching over into western Arkansas, and it has gotten hundreds of companies aware of what is going on," said Fenn Church. Fenn Church, the owner of Church Transportation, is one of the plaintiffs suing A1's Towing & Hauling. Driver locks herself in truck to keep it from A1's Towing In October, his Birmingham, Alabama, trucking company was forced to pay over $17,500 after two of his big rigs were booted and towed by A1's from truck stops in Memphis. One of his drivers admitted she tried to pay for parking, but S-Line wouldn't accept her credit card payment. She ended up locking herself inside her truck for hours to avoid being towed. Church said he filed a complaint with the permits office to get his money back but has not received a dime. He is hoping to recoup his losses, but the suit is also seeking $5 million in damages. "I think we are just throwing good money after bad money with this lawsuit, but it's one small effort we are using to put these people out of business," Church said. "The state of Tennessee or somebody needs to shut these people down." Thursday, the Memphis Transportation Commission suspended A1's Towing and Hauling towing for 30 days for violating city towing ordinances. The regulatory body also suspended their towing and booting permits for 30 days in November. City Council members have also asked the permits office to create rules and regulations for tow truck companies after receiving dozens of complaints about A1's Towing & Hauling. A1's Towing permit suspended for 30 days after complaints The city's chief legal officer says the state of Tennessee and the U.S. Postal Service are also investigating the activities of A1's Towing and Hauling. State, Postal Service investigating A1's Towing Church said Tennessee and Memphis have towing laws. They just need to be enforced. "We've got enough things against the whole trucking industry right now, and we certainly don't need operators like A1 making a mint of some poor trucker's back right now," said Church. We contacted attorneys representing A1's for their reaction to the lawsuit but are still waiting for a response. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.