Justice Department alleges S & K Towing violated federal protections under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, selling up to 148 military-owned vehicles without court orders.
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a federal lawsuit against a California-based towing company, alleging widespread violations of federal protections designed to safeguard active-duty military personnel.
According to the complaint, S & K Towing Inc., based in San Clemente, unlawfully auctioned or disposed of as many as 148 vehicles belonging to service members—many of which were towed from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton—without obtaining the court orders required under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
Filed March 25 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, the lawsuit alleges that the company engaged in these practices between August 2020 and April 2025 while operating under an agreement with base law enforcement to provide towing services. Justice officials contend that S & K Towing failed to implement procedures to verify whether vehicle owners were active-duty service members before proceeding with lien sales or disposal.
“The SCRA exists to protect those who serve our country, particularly when deployments or training obligations limit their ability to respond to civil matters,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Towing companies must respect and abide by these protections.”

