Legal Question in Traffic Law in California

Car impounded & expired license
On 12/4/2004, my girlfriend and I were stopped at a DUI checkpoint by the Garden Grove Police Department at 11:00pm. I was driving her Mercedes S420 home from having dinner with friends because she was tired. My driver license was expired on 11/20/04. So the police officer gave me a ticket, which was fine with me. I haven't had a ticket for over 10 years; so I didn't know it was expired for 2 weeks.

I told her that she has to drive home. Her driver license was good until 2007 and the car was registered to her and her sister.

What surprised us was that they going to TOW/IMPOUND her car because I (ME ME ME) was the driver driving with an expired license and IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE LEGAL OWNER IS IN THE CAR. This news really DISTURBED us. We were dumbfounded. We begged them that we are only 3 miles from home and that my girlfriend can drive her own car home. ''NOPE, NOPE, NOPE,'' they yelled sarcastically. It was cold outside, so we sat in the car and called someone to pick us up. They yelled at us to get our things and get out of the car because they need to tow it right away. We said to give us 5 minutes for someone to pick us up. NOPE! It seems like they want to make money off of us.

Is this legal?

Asked on 12/15/04, 8:01 pm

Lyle Johnson Bedi and Johnson Attorneys at Law

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0 attorneys agreed

Re: Car impounded & expired license

Allowing a person with either a suspended drivers license or no license is a violation of the law and allows the police to impound the vehicle.

Answered on 12/24/04, 3:56 am

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