Worcester residents say cars were towed without warning during snow

WORCESTER, Mass. — Hundreds of Worcester residents are angry and say their cars were wrongfully ticketed and towed during Sunday's snow.

City officials admitted they failed to notify residents about a snow parking ban before they began removing cars and issuing $50 tickets.

"I was fuming," Kathleen Mahoney told FOX25. "It cost me almost $200 for an inch of snow."

Mahoney's car was towed from the front of her Lake Street home, along with her sister's car, and her nephew's car.

"I have lived on my street since 1972," Mahoney said, "And I've never had this problem before."

FOX25 called and emailed city officials to ask if they planned to reimburse residents who they failed to notify about the parking ban.

Tuesday night, city officials released a statement on Worcester's Facebook page, which read, in part, "Because it did not become apparent that plowing would be necessary until late Sunday, the timing of the declaration did not allow residents ample time to move their vehicles....the City will reimburse individuals for the towing fee associated with this particular parking ban."

Mahoney said she was glad she would get her money back, but her nephew Mike said he hoped the city had learned a lesson.

"Hopefully they're a little more prompting on choosing times," Mike Mahoney said.

Cox Media Group