If you live in snow country and have experienced a multi-car pileup due to a crash or blocked road, it can either clear up quickly, or it can several hours or even days to clear. If conditions get bad enough, authorities transport buses to shelter drivers in a warm, dry place while towing cars and clearing the way for snow plows.

The process is usually straightforward, but not for Kyle Zardo. This month, he found himself stuck in a 60-car pileup in Orillia, Ontario. While his car was fine, he was trapped behind a mess of wrecked vehicles. Police, tow trucks, and snow plows made it so he had to wait by his car for three hours.

After three hours, the city sent buses to transport drivers elsewhere while they waited for their cars.

“We were stuck there in our cars for about three hours until we were told by OPP to leave the vehicles and leave the keys behind and they told us they will take us to Rotary Place and have our cars towed to us,” he told Orillia Matters.

Police told him he had no choice but to have it towed

Zardo told the outlet he offered to wait in his car until the road cleared so he could drive away, but an officer insisted on towing it – warning that otherwise, he’d be “removed.”

He even offered to organize his own tow truck but was encouraged to leave his car.

“I offered to pick up my car instead of a tow and he denied it. I offered to organize my own tow truck, which I could have done with my free roadside assistance, but he denied that, too,” said Zardo.

“I made it clear to the officer that I shouldn’t have to pay for this since I wasn’t in an accident, but he didn’t seem to care.” He also said the officer told him it was up to him to “settle up” with the towing company.

Reluctantly he left his car, and let it be towed along with several others. So, imagine his surprise when he’s presented with a $339 bill.

Zardo wasn’t prepared to pay that much for a tow

“I don’t have $339 to spare. I don’t think it is something I should be responsible for, considering I did them a favor and got out of their way,” he said.

Rubbing more salt in the wound was the fact that his insurance company denied his coverage, even though the officer assured him they would.

“But they don’t cover that, as I wasn’t in an accident, so they are not going to pay for that, and I was told if I refused to pay, then the vehicle would be impounded (by police),” he said. “I’m frustrated … I just don’t see how any of this makes sense.”

The transportation agency wrote that the police officers made the right call and that the tickets wouldn’t be covered. So, Zardo and “dozens” of others who were charged hundreds for an emergency tow they couldn’t deny, had to swallow that pill.