The owner of an Orange County, Florida towing company has been arrested for illegally towing the cars of visitors of last month’s Gay Days events. Gay Days held its 24th annual event in Orlando last month, where over 150,000 LGBT people joined together for a week filled with trips to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, pool parties, and exploring the area.
Jason P. Combs, the owner of ASAP Towing Company, was charged with 29 counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle and 60 counts of violating the Orange County Towing Ordinance. Combs allegedly had more than 100 vehicles towed from a parking lot at Westwood Town Center, across from the Gay Days’ host hotel Doubletree by Hilton, where most of the event’s attendees were staying. However, Combs was not authorized to tow since he did not have a contract with Westwood at that time, nor was there any notification that the parking lot was a tow-away zone.
Victims felt that they were being targeted for being LGBT. Many felt ASAP employees were rude and that they felt they were being bullied and intimidated. Chris Alexander-Manley, president of the Gay Days event, said Combs should “be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office posted to Facebook,“We will not tolerate those who take advantage of our citizens or visitors.”
Read more at the Orlando Sentinel.