People say that a Pasco business owner ripped money from a man’s hands and then threatened to hurt him. This has made his legal problems worse.
Because of the fight on Fourth Avenue in October, Socorro “Jesse” Spindola-Lopez, the owner of Classic Towing and Recovery, is being charged with second-degree robbery, death threats, and having a gun without a permit.
He reportedly told a man that he would tow his car if he didn’t pay $350 right away. He is said to have then taken more than $400 from him.
If the owner of the car called to get his money back, Spindola-Lopez is said to have said that he was a “real gangster” from California and that “he could hit him and his family.”
People already said that 59-year-old Spindola-Lopez stole contractor cars from the Lewis Street overpass project and wouldn’t give back a van he towed, even though the court told him to.
He is still not in jail because he paid a $50,000 bond for the new charges.
Spindola-Lopez has had the right to run his tow truck business since 2020. According to information from the state of Washington, the license is still valid and won’t expire until 2025.
A Facebook post from late November by Pasco police said that they were looking for other people who had problems with Spindola-Lopez.
They said that vehicles can’t be towed from a business site unless there are signs saying that’s what might happen.
The post from Pasco police said, “Tow companies must follow a long list of laws and rules to keep themselves and the public safe and to stay accountable.”
If you know anything, please call the non-emergency contact number at (509) 628-0333.
