Baltimore towing company owner alleges discrimination in suspension of city contract following inspector general report

A Baltimore towing company whose contract with the city was suspended following the release of a report by the city’s inspector general is alleging racial discrimination. Universal Towing, a company based in West Baltimore, was the subject of a report released Feb. 4 by Inspector General Isabel Mercedes Cumming. That report, which did not name the vendor, said the company had violated the city’s police requested towing contract by towing three vans to a private lot rather than a city lot. The company attempted to scrap the three vehicles, in violation of the state’s transportation code, according to the report.