A complicated case involving a family of tow truck operators
accused of manipulating local courts to turn a profit will head to
trial in November.
A complicated case involving a family of tow truck operators accused of manipulating local courts to turn a profit will head to trial in November.
Police arrested Vincent Cardinalli Sr., 66, and his son, Paul Greer, 32, more than two years ago. Father and son, along with Cardinalli’s daughter, Rosemary Ball, 34, and her husband, Michael Ball, 39, face 158 counts of conspiracy, forgery, perjury, attempted grand theft and other felony charges stemming from a tow-and-sue scheme the family used to parlay their towing and collections businesses into a gold mine, according to court documents.
The family allegedly brought an avalanche of lawsuits against unwitting motorists for towing, storage and lien sale fees on vehicles the motorists never owned, or sold years before the cars were towed. When defendants tried to fight back, father and son often zeroed in on technicalities and advanced frivolous arguments, witnesses testified at the preliminary hearing.
The case is set to be heard on the master trial calendar 8:30 a.m. Nov. 30 in Department 24 of the Hall of Justice in San Jose. At that hearing, the presiding judge will assign the case out to another department for trial. Attorneys estimated the trial could last up to four months and expect to begin early next year.
