2 Investigators: Motorcycle Accident Leaves Woman With Injuries, Big Bill
NAPERVILLE, Ill. (CBS) -- A motorcycle accident left a woman with serious injuries -- and a big bill. Anna DiDonna says the sticker shock was the result of something police did, so she called CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini for help.
DiDonna nearly died on a Naperville road in June when she lost control of her newly purchased motorcycle and hit a guard rail.
"I remember spinning, and seeing the headlights go past, and then landing in the grass," said DiDonna. "My spleen was ruptured."
She was rushed to Edward Hospital.
"They lost my pulse for 90 seconds, so the doctor told me they had to do CPR and compress my aorta to keep the blood at my brain," said DiDonna who also suffered collapsed lungs and shattered collar bone and arm.
She was on a ventilator fighting for her life, then later learned her hospital stay was going to be costly in an unexpected way.
"They charged 900 bucks to store it; just short of 900 dollars," DiDonna said about her damaged motorcycle.
After recovering from her injuries, DiDonna learned her motorcycle had been towed to a private tow yard instead of the police impound. That is where it racked up enormous storage fees.
"I was intubated, so I wasn't able to speak," said DiDonna who added that police never spoke with her after the crash.
DiDonna says after the accident, a Naperville police officer wrote her a ticket, brought it to the hospital and gave it to her boyfriend. However, she says the officer failed to give any paperwork or explanation about where the motorcycle was taken or what it would cost if not picked up immediately. She says friends called the police department and also were not given any information about the towing of the motorcycle.
Nearly a month later, when she was finally stable, DiDonna contacted police, found her motorcycle, and learned of the big bill for 25 days of storage. The tow lot operator tells CBS 2, police never notified them who owned the bike and says state law allows them 30 days before they have to find the owner.
Naperville police claim the officer verbally told DiDonna's boyfriend, at the hospital, about the tow...the boyfriend says that's not true and that's why he called the station later to find out where it was taken.
Police Chief Robert Marshall says, "Information related to the location of the all confiscated vehicles is readily available through our 24-hour Naperville Public Safety Answering Point. This vehicle was processed in accordance with established Department protocols, which have been , and continue to be effective for the thousands of vehicles handled annually."
Marshall is meeting with DiDonna Tuesday to investigate the matter
