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Police Release Details & Footage of fatal shooting on I-95 involving FHP trooper

How Did Candace Muzny Die? Former NASCAR Racer Dead At 43

Candace Muzny dreamed of being a professional race driver when she was young. She got to live her dream driving on the NASCAR circuit before retiring and heading back home to Oklahoma. Now the one-time racer has died suddenly at the age of 43. 

Who was Candace Muzny and how did she die? Read on for all the details. 

1. Who was Candace Muzny?

Muzny was born in 1976 in Oklahoma where she grew up with her parents Al and Vanita, and three siblings,

Cynthia, Christopher, and Lori. After high school, she pursued an art degree but chose to pursue her dream of car racing after getting her associate's degree, She moved out to Bakersfield, California to try and make a career for herself in NASCAR. She found her love of racing thanks to time spent at the local track when she was younger. Her parents owned a tow truck company called Arrow Wrecker service that provided towing at the track. "Al ran the wreckers at the racetrack for about 10 years,” said Muzny's mother Vanita. "He didn’t let Candace race when she was young, but she had a little Mustang that she raced all around town.” 

2. She had a short racing career, marred by tragedy.

While she was getting her racing career off the ground, she met fellow driver Del Dalrymple, who was more than 20 years her senior. The two fell in love and planned to marry but he tragically died of an aneurysm in 2007.

Despite the personal loss, she continued her racing career and was even sponsored by Jesse James and Sandra Bullock for a time. She drove in the NASCAR Late Model Divisions and NASCAR K&N Pro Series. She also participated in the 2007 Toyota All-Star Showdown, the 2007 Last Chance Open and in the 2009 Last Chance Open.

She spent two years racing on the East Coast in 2011 and 2012, before returning to Oklahoma to work at the family business. 

3. She still missed racing even after years away from the sport. 

As recently as this year, Munzy was still expressing sadness that her racing days were over. "I am frustrated with the world. I am under a lot of stress. I need to move. I need a break. I miss my racing family" she said in an interview.

4. Muzny got herself into legal trouble in early 2020.

On January 14, 2020, Muzny was arrested for assaulting an employee at a nail salon in Oklahoma City. When police arrived to handle the situation, Muzny attacked an officer and cut him with a pocket knife she had in her hand. The incident started when the manager of the salon asked the technician giving Muzny a pedicure a question; the two employees were speaking Vietnamese. Muzny objected to them speaking a foreign language in front of her and started yelling at them, threatening them with violence if they didn't start speaking English. She then slapped one worker in the face and punched another employee as he tried to call 911. When the police arrived, her dog bit an officer who was trying to arrest her and she cut him behind the ear with her pocket knife. 

“I asked her three times to stop speaking Vietnamese to me. I was paying with the American dollar,” Muzny said by way of explanation. “I think if you’re speaking to an American who is a customer of yours, and you know they’re not Vietnamese, it’s rude to talk to them in a language they don’t understand. She needs to get back to Vietnam. If she wants to live in America and serve Americans, she needs to speak the language they speak. If she wants to live on the American dollar, then she needs to speak English.”

Tiffany Nguyen, the woman who was attacked, said, “We were speaking in our native language about my pay, and then she said to 'F*cking stop speaking that language or I will slap you in the face.'' She went on to describe the assault in detail. “She got me cornered, and I fell,” Nguyen said. “But I was able to kick her,and she lunged and tried to put a knife up to my throat a couple of times.”

Police were treating the incident as a race-based crime.

5. On February 17, Muzny was found dead in her home.

Police were called to Muzny's house after a 911 call indicated that she had been found dead inside. When authorities arrived, the found Muzny deceased and started investigating the death as suspicious, though they did not feel it was a homicide.

6. How did Candace Mzuny die?

Several days after her death, authorities announced it wasn't a suspicious death after all. They said it had been an accidental drowning in her home. No further details have come out so we don't know whether drugs or alcohol were involved.

Her family was too shocked to speak to the press after she was found dead.

Many of us in towing were focused on what the Tow Truck was doing during the crash at this years Daytona 500  which entrapped a critically injured Ryan Newman. Since we have several members that have been on a Race Recovery Team at Daytona or another speedway at some point in their career.

Can at least one of our members fill us in as to what was taking place leading up to and during the recovery efforts.

"The adjusters know that going through their inside guys is too much hassle."

I can see that, why not just go ahead and take care of it all at one time instead of breaking it up. That is as long as there is a clear agreement on the cost of the secondary tow. I have heard far to many stories of tow companies that wanted twice as much for the secondary tow in an attempt to make up for their low bid on the police contract tow.

Far too many still playing the low bid with hopes to make it up in storage or secondary tows. I hear all the time about tow companies insisting vehicles go to their lot for storage or charging high rates to bring the vehicle out of their tow lot. Quite often those secondary charges are not in the police contract tow. So, are they legal in relation to the Police Ordered Tow. I have been told they are not legal unless the vehicles owner signed for the tow from the start. The Tow Company has to go by what the contract states. This may be why Police Contracts for towing continue to become more detailed.

GEORGE, WAIT WHAT.... Who did they go through?

Fenderbendr6, it was the Progressive app among other reasons that brought AGERO down to number 10 in the rankings when many think they should be higher. The response times using the Progress App which sends the insured motorist to AGERO where they have to repeat everything they just put into the app. While I realize any motor club would want to confirm the information, it's like some motor clubs have little or non of the details put into the app. Then it is long phone calls prior to being called directly by the tow truck which is coming from 40 miles away. At this point 40 minutes have gone by and everyone is frustrated its going to take another 20 minutes minimum and the insured motoris is standing in the roadway.

Video By Darran Campbell who on his FB page said:

I just happened to be where I could watch fellow tow truck drivers give their respect to their fallen friend. I videoed it because it was wonderful to see so many tow trucks, a lot had traveled from quit a distance.

The video has over 20,000 views currently, I feel like I have helped spread the word just a little bit about slowing down or moving over. I’ve been on a local Fire Dept for more then 18 years, and this is always a concern for us.

The reports are these incidents were not SDMO related. If anyone has details about these tow trucks being struck or any others please post them. We are attempting to document each of these incidents. Thanks

Sent from my SM-G950U using TowForce mobile app

I finalized the list yesterday, I just have not gotten around to posting it yet.

EKYtow55 your list actually isn't all that different

The reports state there were no trucks involved in the fire. So, as bad as the property damage is they have insurance as reported and they have the trucks. They'll be up and running the wreckers out of a temporary location while the business is being rebuild. It's a 3 year ordeal they will be embarking on. They may get a new building but the costs are never all covered by insurance.

It is unclear now who the two men were who were shot and are in critical condition.

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“Burglary Gone Bad,” Two Airport Employees Critical After Armed Robbery in Homestead: PD

Police are investigating a Friday night shooting in Homestead that left two airport employees in critical condition.

Officers are describing the incident as a "burglary gone bad".

Homestead Police say two Miami International Airport towing employees saw a man burglarizing their vehicles at a tow yard located at 111 southwest 3rd avenue.

They say both men confronted the burglar before he pulled a gun out and shot the two men - stealing "valuables" and keys from one of them.

Police say one of the employees drove away in the company tow truck and flagged down officers who were responding to the shooting.

Both men were transported to Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition.

Homestead Police have released surveillance video of the incident and are asking the public to help identify the burglar.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Homestead Police at 305-247-1535.

RESOURCE LINK

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We will continue searching for further details

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- More than 100 tow trucks from around the country lead a procession Saturday in Springfield, Missouri and paid their final respects to Timothy Williams.

Williams, a tow truck driver for Affordable Towing,was struck and killed by a driver on U.S. Highway 65, a few miles north of Springfield, on Feb. 7.

UPDATES ARE PENDING

More than 100 Trucks Process in Honor of Timothy Williams

More than 100 tow trucks processed around the city of Springfield in honor of fallen driver Timothy Williams, who was killed north of Springfield while he was on duty.

Williams was remembered by his colleagues and friends as a kind and helpful man. He served as a deacon at his church and was known for assisting people who could not pay for a tow with his own money.

He was killed north of Springfield while attempting to help a motorist who was stranded on the side of highway 65. A driver didn’t switch lanes when nearing Williams and the stalled vehicle, and hit Williams.

He died one day before his birthday at the age of 55.

Affordable Towing trainer and driver Ruben Carver says he posted in a group of fellow tow truck drivers about the tragedy and received support from across the nation.

“[They] did their own light up ceremonies, all the way from Louisville, Kentucky to Sacramento.”

RESOURCE LINK

feel today is the awakening of the towing industry. This Not Guilty verdict may be what sets the tow truck drivers off.

Mark the date.

May heart goes out to the family of the victim. More than 3 years after the lost, a jury presented with the facts the woman that struck and killed.John William "Bubba" Hubbard was driving  in excess of 90mph prior to losing control of her vehicle. I do not know what proof the had of another vehicle which may have cross into the lane. There are these thing called brakes.

Enough of these rules and verdicts which say as Tow Truck Operators our life's have little valued. Do you think the verdict would have been different had this been a police officer on the side of the road carrying out his duty?

One Day they're going to push the industry over the edge and either companies will such down and converge on there Government Locations such a State Capitals, Court Houses, etc. That or Tow Truck Operators are going to Gang Up and Call for a Sick Out. It's the industries choice, either come together as one voice or many voices are going to be heard with a day of silence. While I would prefer another solution, the time will come that Tow Truck Drivers who have been basically told their lives have little value. Well, those with little value will show just how valuable them and the services they provide are.....

We Stand Together or We Stand As One and Continue To Fall Alone...

OH wow, I would have either unloaded on the driver or gotten out of the way. One does not know unless they are placed in such a real situation.

First, Option would be to have a gun and take the driver out. The truck is being used as a weapon.

Second, Run, as a jury would see that the person with the gun had other options to seek safety.

That has to be the craziest getaway I have seen. Did more damage then the truck was worth. Could have just waited until the gate was open.

3 hours ago, Jeff Poquette said:

Ron, were HONK and Urgent.ly on the list at some point during the voting and recently dropped off?

Jeff, each year I rank the Top Ten using various factors which assign numbers to the Motor Clubs. Early on HONK was looking good in the Number 2 and 3 positions. As the responses came in they dropped to Number 11. Urgent.ly dropped to 17 down from 13 last year. Get this Netcost was ranked 16 in the 2018 Ranking and Gerber formally Netcost is number 3 in the 2019 rankings. Two questions come to mind, how does all the Apps fall out of the Top Ten and A Motor Club that changed it's name go from 16 to 3 in the rankings. I do not make this up, I use the numbers I have to form the list.

Randall, while that sounds like a way to gain media attention to our blight. It would be only a small blip in the news. No what is will take is that 1000's of Tow Trucks converging on their State and Local Court Houses. Shutting down the Majority of Towing for an Hour as as show of unity. Wait, we are not allowed to use the word unity because it gets confused with being a Union and that would be BAD..... Carry On, it's never going to change until enough in the Industry have has enough. That will likely be more Tow Operator Deaths which touch more companies. At this rate that will only take a few years. How many will lose their life's before serious action is taking and the industry is viewed as Being Professional?

To those following this topic please sound off we need to hear you going into some type of Round Table.

I have been an advocate of  some type of show of Tow Trucks on a specific day of the year across the Nation.

The Towing & Recovery Industry needs this National Attention as did the Convoys of the 1970's. While, I am not sure the level of participation back then would result in the same news coverage and prompt a movie "Convoy". I do believe it is a strong statement that this industry has reached the point, we Tow Truck Operators are now seeking a strong show of unity. While it will NEVER happen, at the end of the line a Shut Down or Slow Down Day combined with a Convoy of Tow Trucks may be the Only Movement to gain that National Attention!

I do not know, let's discuss it.... If you're just sitting there reading this, then you're saying you're OK with the more than 100, even 200 Tow Operators being Struck & Killed combined with Struck & Injured.

Sound Off You Not OK, together we can be the answer to save at minimum A Tow Operators Life a Year. That Life could be your own!

Michael, the majority of officers want to do there duty. However, Randall hit on the Reality when he got to "wait in-line at the sally port, write the arrest report, get it signed, all the while, chasing calls on the radio". If the sally port only is not lined up then that alone can make the difference. Combine that with one or more other factors mentioned and can make the difference when the arrest is in connection with one charge of reckless driving charge which endangers the general public. Towing the vehicle is rarely a factor unless there is a personnel shortage. Which many departments across the nation face in this low unemployment with higher private sector opportunities. Combine that with Courts, not just judges that dismiss or lower charges. This occurs often before the judge even reviews the case.

Again Reality Check!

OVER 100 MPH HERE is a mandatory trip to jail for both the driver and their vehicle.

Seems like it's 1 out of 10 gets lucky and the officers time is a factor.

Back in the seventies there was a Convoy! Got a lot of attention, and while I have never advocated this before as strongly. This may very well be the spark, as Tow Operators are being struck & killed at a much higher rate than Police, Fire & EMS yet the Virginia Legislators are say our live's are worth less. If our lives are worth less then we can all take some time off and create a show of Force.  When traffic backs up and voters complain then we will see what out lives are worth to them. I say this knowing it will never happen in an industry that is not organized....