An organized ring in the Inland Empire is accused of towing vehicles to a body shop and demanding excessive fees for release.

Officials at the California Department of Insurance are warning Southland residents of a “vehicle hostage” scam involving tow truck companies targeting motorists involved in traffic accidents.

The Caltrans maintenance yard in Kingvale Monday night was filled with multiple snow plows and crews fueling up trucks as they worked to clear debris before rain transitioned to snow. Caltrans ...