I can't say anything about this story, I wasn't there. But I'm telling you, this is a big deal here in Oregon lately. There is some loop-hole in the law that basically allows them to get away with making you pay for the tow, even before you get towed.
Tow companies have been trolling for violators, they then hook up and wait to either get another call, or they just wait for the owner of the current car to come out, then they demand a fee. If the cops are called, chances are, you were parked in at least some questionable way, so the tow driver basically gets away with it. Things came to a head here in Portland last summer when a tow driver hooked up to an old lady's car who parked in a handicap spot at the post office. She was handicap, but she forgot to put the card up in the window. She went and got in front of the truck and wouldn't let it drive away, she called here son, her son called the police and the local news, they got the whole thing on live TV and the tow truck driver finally stepped back and let her off.
They are now looking at the laws to revise them.