DALLAS -- Police in Dallas said a tow truck driver hauled away a car Monday night with a 7-year-old asleep inside before returning the vehicle a short time later.

Sergio Zuniga said Dallas-based United Tows towed his car, which was parked in the fire lane of his apartment complex in Oak Cliff, Texas, while his son was sleeping in the back seat, reported KXAS-TV in Dallas.

Zuniga said his wife was unlocking the apartment door for him while their son was still in the car. She was standing outside of the apartment and constantly looked back to where the vehicle was parked, Zuniga said.

"I'm talking to her, and all of a sudden, I'm in there, and I hear 'screech' -- the noise like somebody shot off," he said.

Towing is strictly enforced at the apartment complex, but Zuniga said it happened so fast, his wife didn't see who had taken the car. The couple then called the police.

"It's hard. I thought I lost him," Zuniga said.

About 20 minutes later, the tow truck returned.

"All of a sudden, he just drops my car -- boom, drops my car -- in the middle of nowhere out there with my son it, and he just shoots out," Zuniga said.

Police chased down and arrested 23-year-old Fidel Retana Jr. a few minutes later on charges of endangering a child.

A possible kidnapping investigation at their apartment complex had already begun. But police said Tuesday it doesn't appear he intended to take the child, and they expect to drop the charges.

According to police, many tow truck drivers tow cars without ever getting out of the wrecker. Police said drivers may go blocks or even miles before they pull over to secure the vehicle, which may have been when Retana noticed Zuniga's son in the back seat.

United Tows apologized for the incident but said Retana was just trying to doing his job. The towing company said it is talking with its drivers to ensure a similar incident doesn't happen again.

Retana posted bond on Tuesday night.

Zuniga said the incident could have been avoided if Retana had spoken to him and his wife before towing their vehicle.

"If he would have asked us, 'Please move your car before I tow it,' I would have been courteous," he said. "I would have said, 'Hey, go ahead, go ahead and go.' That would have ended this whole problem."