The Justice Department reached an agreement with California towing company Tony's Auto Center in April 2025 resolving allegations that the company illegally auctioned U.S. Navy Lieutenant Jonathan Liongson's 2011 Mazda 6 while he was deployed aboard the USS Bunker Hill, requiring $7,500 in damages to the lieutenant, $2,000 in civil penalty to the United States, and new SCRA policies, according to the DOJ. The lieutenant had stored the vehicle at a friend's house before deployment.
Operator takeaway
Vehicles parked at third-party properties are still SCRA-protected. The lieutenant's friend's house is a fact pattern your intake team should know on sight.