A Pittsburgh tow truck operator accused of running a predatory towing scheme pleaded guilty to felony theft and insurance fraud and now must repay hundreds of thousands of dollars within 30 days to avoid jail time, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Monday.

An Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas judge gave 57-year-old Vincent G. Fannick, owner of Vince’s Towing, two options: repay what prosecutors say he illegally took in inflated towing fees — amounting to $379,279 — or go to jail. He chose the fine.

“This defendant preyed on motorists in a pinch by hiding fees and inflating prices, leaving them and their insurance carriers with enormous bills to retrieve back their vehicles,” Mr. Sunday said in a release Monday.

His office and the Allegheny County Police Departmen

See Full Page