If you are considering selling your old vehicle to someone online or to a casual acquaintance, we have a cautionary tale to share, from reader Melissa Eiselein of Moreno Valley.
Eiselein sold her 2005 Saturn to a private party on April 5, 2024. The same day, she filed a release of liability form with the Department of Motor Vehicles and uploaded to the DMV a copy of the buyer’s California identification card and a copy of the handwritten receipt she and her buyer signed.
That was the end of it — or so she thought.
This April — a year later — Eiselein began receiving notices from The Toll Roads, the Irvine-based FasTrak system operated by the Orange County Transportation Authority. The Toll Roads claimed Eiselein owed over $400 in violation fees because someone drove the Saturn on the 241 toll lanes without paying. She sent, and resent, paperwork to The Toll Roads and made multiple calls to explain she was no longer the vehicle’s owner.
“It gets worse,” Eiselein said.
In May, she had a late-night visit from a California Highway Patrol officer who informed her that “her” vehicle was involved in a four-vehicle hit-and-run crash on the 15 Freeway in San Bernardino. The officer’s computer information from the DMV showed Eiselein as the car’s registered owner, despite acknowledging that she filed the release of liability.
No one was seriously injured in the crash, but the CHP officer told Eiselein that she might end up in court and would have to try to convince the judge she is not legally responsible.
“Hopefully the courts will be easier to convince than the employees of The Toll Roads,” she said.
All of this happened because the person who bought the car from Eiselein never registered it. So, she remains the registered owner. Eiselein wants people to know that the DMV does not remove a vehicle seller’s name and address from a privately sold vehicle unless the buyer registers it (and pays the registration fee) to transfer ownership, which the buyer is legally required to do within 10 days of purchase, she said. This applies even if the seller has filed a release of liability.
“People need to know this and be prepared,” she said.
The DMV on its website cautions drivers about this: “IMPORTANT. Submitting an NRL (Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability) to the DMV does not constitute a transfer of ownership. The vehicle record is not permanently transferred out of your name until the DMV receives a completed application for transfer of ownership and payment of appropriate fees from the new owner.”
Fortunately for Eiselein, she’d obtained a copy of the buyer’s ID and believes this gave her some credibility with The Toll Roads, which eventually released her from the fines. The CHP officer investigating the hit-and-run accident also took this information and said he’d investigate.
“It’s been a nightmare,” Eiselein said. She plans to write to some California politicians about this situation so hopefully they can make changes.
Selling a car to a private party carries risk, she said. “I just know I’m never going to do it again.”
Menifee road update
Here’s a brief update on the Bradley Road Bridge project in Menifee: Construction begins Monday, Aug. 4. Bradley Road between Pebble Beach Drive and Rio Vista Drive will remain closed for 12 to 14 months while crews build a new 365-foot bridge over the Salt Creek Wash. The road will be closed to vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. The Salt Creek Trail is open during construction, but a segment near Bradley Road will be temporarily detoured through the surrounding neighborhood. Access to nearby neighborhoods and businesses remain open.
The city of Menifee says the new bridge will provide reliable connectivity on Bradley Road when it rains; improve safety in the rain as drivers won’t have to go through moving water; promote faster response times for first responders; and create bicycle lanes and sidewalks. The project is expected to be completed in late 2026. For information, visit cityofmenifee.us/BradleyBridge or call the construction hotline at 951-614-6328.
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The Rancho Cucamonga Department of Motor Vehicles office temporarily closed for renovations July 24. The office at 8629 Hellman Ave. is undergoing roof repairs and the parking lot is being resurfaced and restriped. The office is scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18. In the meantime, drivers can visit the following offices (or go online):
Fontana DMV, 8026 Hemlock Ave.
Pomona DMV, 1600 S. Garey Ave.
Norco DMV, 3201 Horseless Carriage Road
Do you commute to work in the Inland Empire? Spend a lot of time in your vehicle? Have questions about driving, freeways, toll roads or parking? If so, write or call On the Road and we’ll try to answer your questions. Please include your question or issue, name, city of residence, phone number and email address. Write [email protected] or call 951-368-9995.
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