Man charged after sideswiping Virginia State Police vehicle, tow truck in Sussex Co.

SUSSEX Co., Va. - A Waverly man was charged after he allegedly struck a Virginia State Police vehicle, then drove away from the scene, Wednesday evening.

According to the VSP, at about 7:10 p.m., a state trooper conducted a traffic stop in the right lane of Route 460. While the trooper was stopped behind the vehicle, which was in the process of being towed out of the shoulder area, his vehicle was sideswiped by a 2017 Nissan Altima.

The Nissan's driver, later identified as Russell L. Taylor, Jr., kept driving and sideswiped the tow truck.

He was pulled over several miles up the roadway.

Taylor was charged with reckless driving, failure to move over and driving while revoked.

No injuries were reported.

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Delaware State Police Investigating Fatal Pedestrian Crash – New Castle

New Castle – Delaware State Police is investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred late yesterday morning.

On Monday, November 22, 2021, at approximately 11:44 a.m., a 2019 Freightlinwas traveling northbound on I-95 in the right lane of travel.  At the same time, a 2012 Ford Escape had pulled over to the right shoulder of I-95 just er tow truck north of the exit to Route 141 southbound.  As the Freightliner neared the location of the Ford Escape, for unknown reasons, the sole occupant exited his vehicle and entered into the right lane of travel. The Freightliner attempted to swerve to the left, but was unable to avoid the collision and struck the pedestrian.

The 25-year-old male victim of Bear, DE was pronounced deceased at the scene. The name of the victim is pending notification to the next of kin.

The 51-year-old operator of the tow truck of Clayton, DE was not injured in the crash.

The two right lanes of I-95 northbound were closed for approximately three hours while the crash was investigated and cleared.

Anyone with information regarding the incident should contact Detective Tenebruso by calling 302-365-8435. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333 or via the internet at http://www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com.

*Traffic Advisory* State Troopers Investigating Serious Crash – New Castle

If you or someone you know is a victim or witness of crime or have lost a loved one to a sudden death and are in need of assistance, the Delaware State Police Victim Services Unit/Delaware Victim Center is available to offer you support and resources 24 hours a day through a toll free hotline 1800 VICTIM-1. (1-800-842-8461). You may also email the unit Director at debra.reed@state.de.us.

You can follow the Delaware State Police by clicking on:

Delaware State Police Official Web Site

25-year-old man from Bear killed after police say he walked into I-95 traffic Monday

A 25-year-old man from Bear died Monday morning after being hit by a tow truck on I-95 near New Castle, according to Delaware State Police.

The man – who has not yet been identified by police – had initially pulled over onto the right shoulder of the highway, police said. Then, at about 11:44 a.m., he got out of his car and walked into the right lane of northbound traffic. Police said they do not know why he left his vehicle.

As the man was exiting his car, he walked into the path of a tow truck heading north on I-95, according to police. The driver attempted to swerve out of the way, police said, but ended up hitting the man in the road.

Police said the pedestrian died on the scene. There was no one else in the car with him.

The tow truck driver, a 51-year-old man from Clayton, was not injured, police said.

The crash shut down the right two lanes of I-95 north near the exit to Route 141 for three hours, leaving traffic backed up all the way past Christiana Mall.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Detective Anthony Tenebruso at 302-365-8435 or contact Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-TIP-3333.

MCLEAN COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) — One man is dead and another is in the hospital with life-threatening injuries after a crash on I-55 in McLean County on Monday, Nov. 22 at 4:33 p.m.

An unknown 64-year-old male from Berkeley, IL was driving a 2017 Silver Toyota when he swerved onto the right shoulder, traveling underneath the back of the flatbed of an unoccupied tow truck.

The passenger of the Toyota was a 25-year-old male from Berkeley, IL, and was transported to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Toyota was pronounced dead on the scene.

Southbound traffic was rerouted onto Route 66 at Lexington, exit 178. Interstate 55 was shut down for approximately five hours.

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PEORIA (25 NEWS) - One person is dead and another injured after a passenger vehicle struck a tow truck along southbound Interstate 55 at mile marker 173 in McLean County Monday night.

Illinois State Police said preliminary reports indicate the tow truck was recovering a disabled semi-trailer along the shoulder when the tow truck was struck by the passenger vehicle.

The tow truck driver was not injured.

The semi-trailer had been broken down in the area since around 2:16 p.m.

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Delegate Bob Long presented his wife, Rose Long, and Victor Appolonia, Jr. from Baltimore Towing, citations for their heroism for saving a family from an overturned vehicle during the summer. Both were driving through the area when they witnessed the accident in Dundalk.

Three people were trapped inside after the accident and gasoline was leaking from the vehicle. Victor and Rose had to force the driver’s door open so that the driver could exit the vehicle.

Rose assisted two children through the trunk of vehicle and continued to render aid to the passengers until the paramedics arrived.

“I saw the car flipped over and ran over to see if there was anyone still in the car. We started to pull on the driver’s door when we realized that there were two children coming out of the trunk area. We quickly helped them out and ran back to the driver’s door pulling on it, it finally opened, and a woman came crawling out,” Rose recalled about the event.

“We got her to her feet, I moved all three away from the car just in case in would have caught on fire or blew up, I assessed their injuries. A nurse came to render aid, I told her what I had observed, and she took over. I never did get her name, I hope that if she reads this, she will contact Delegate Bob Long’s office.”

Delegate Bob Long thanked both for rendering aid and said he is proud of their heroic act.

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Ed Williams (Wrecker Service in Ft. Payne, AL) was involved in a bad wreck.

He was transported to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN.

Idaho State Police (ISP) is responding to a crash that resulted in a diesel leak on Interstate 84 in Nampa. The crash involved a tow truck carrying a cement truck.

Police said the tow truck went through the center barrier on I-84 near Garrity Boulevard. Nobody involved was injured, according to ISP.

Crews are currently on the scene of the crash working to clean up the diesel spill. As of 7:46 p.m. on Tuesday, the left lane of the interstate is blocked.

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Tow truck driver killed in hit-and-run crash along I-95 in Dillon County, troopers say

DILLON COUNTY, S.C. (WMBF) – Troopers are investigating a hit-and-run crash that left one dead in the Pee Dee.

According to Cpl. Matt Southern with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, the accident happened around 11:30 p.m. Sunday on I-95 northbound near mile marker 196 in Dillon County.

The SCHP said a tow truck operator was standing outside of the truck and assisting a disabled vehicle when they were hit and killed by an unknown vehicle.

The vehicle drove off after hitting both the tow truck driver and the tow truck, according to troopers.

The name of the person killed was not immediately available.

The accident remains under investigation by SCHP, with assistance from the agency’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team.

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Wayne Amos Roth - Aug. 28, 1957 - Oct. 21, 2021

Tow truck driver fatally struck on I-80 last night

Clinton County, Pa. —State Police in Lamar reported the death of a tow truck driver after they were struck by a vehicle on Interstate 80 Saturday night.

According to the release, the tow truck driver was removing a disabled semi-trailer that was parked on the south berm. A vehicle then traveled off the south berm and struck the rear portion of the trailer.

Authorities said the tow truck driver was outside of their vehicle when the crash occurred. According to the report, the tow truck driver was fatally injured when struck.

Bystanders who witnessed the crash removed the driver from their vehicle after it caught fire due to the impact with the trailer. The driver was transported to Lock Haven Hospital where they received treatment for injuries.

Multiple fire companies and PennDot assisted with cleanup at the scene. State Police state an investigation is ongoing.

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Owner of Centre Region towing company killed in Clinton County crash, police say

The owner of a Centre Region towing company was killed Saturday after he was hit by a driver in Clinton County, state police at Lamar and the Pennsylvania Towing Association wrote.

Valley Truck and Trailer owner James “Jim” Corl was hit about 9:30 p.m. Saturday when he was removing a disabled semitrailer from Interstate 80, police wrote.

A driver slammed their vehicle into Corl’s tow truck in the berm and burst into flames. Corl was outside his vehicle when it was hit, police wrote.

The driver was transported to UPMC Lock Haven for treatment of unspecified injuries, police wrote. An investigation is ongoing. Corl worked alongside the Alpha Fire Company for decades.

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Tow truck driver killed in I-80 crash identified

LOGANTON — The Pennsylvania Towing Association has identified the tow truck operator who was killed after being struck by a vehicle on Saturday night along Interstate 80 near Loganton.

James Corl, owner and operator of College Township-based Valley Truck and Trailer, was removing a disabled semi-trailer on I-80 near mile marker 184.9 at about 9:30 p.m. At that time, a driver traveling eastbound struck the tow truck from behind, according to state police at Lamar.

Corl was outside of the truck at the time and sustained fatal injuries, police said.

The vehicle caught on fire and the driver — who was not identified — was removed from the vehicle and taken to UPMC Lock Haven for treatment.

I-80 was closed at the Lock Haven exit for several hours. The investigation is ongoing, according to police.

Corl worked with Alpha and Boalsburg fire companies in State College for many years and both expressed condolences on social media on Sunday.

“Jim has served the Alpha Fire Company in a variety of ways over the past few decades, most recently as an Active Type IV (Support) member, supporting the company with apparatus needs as well as towing and recovery services,” Alpha Fire Company wrote in a Facebook post. “Jim will be greatly missed, and his family and friends are in our thoughts.”

In another Facebook post, the Boalsburg Fire Company said: “Our Thoughts and Prayers are with the Family of Jim Corl. Jim lost his life last evening in a vehicle related accident. Jim and his business, Valley Truck and Trailer have assisted us many times throughout the years providing heavy wrecker service to assist with vehicle accidents and rescues. Jim was known and will be missed by many.”

Pennsylvania’s Move Over Law requires drivers approaching emergency response areas who are unable to safely merge into a lane farther away from the response area to “pass the emergency response area at a speed of no more than 20 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit and reasonable for safely passing.”

Funeral arrangements for Corl have not been announced.

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Woman seeking help after Queens crash shot in leg in clash between rival tow truck companies.

A woman seeking help after getting into a car crash in Queens was shot in the leg when an argument between rival tow truck companies erupted into gunfire, cops said Sunday.

The 48-year-old victim got into a fender bender on Sutter Ave. and 77th St. in Ozone Park just after 10 p.m. Saturday, cops said. Before police arrived, workers from two different tow truck companies showed up, each hoping to hook her damaged car.

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Tow truck driver recovering vehicle on I-5 killed in crash

A Roseburg tow truck driver was killed Thursday night while working on Interstate 5, according to state police.

Just before 11 p.m. Henry Alan Lichtwald, 63, of Roseburg, an employee of Walt’s Tow Company, was responding to a crash on the highway. While attempting to clear an earlier crash on the southbound lanes of the freeway near milepost 126, a commercial motor vehicle collided with Lichtwald and his tow truck. Lichtwald died at the scene.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, Jagraj Singh Sidhu, 54, of Abbotsford, British Columbia, immediately pulled over and cooperated with the investigation, according to police.

Tow truck driver killed after crash on Interstate 5

A Roseburg man is dead after he and his tow truck were struck by a commercial vehicle that reportedly failed to move over.

ROSEBURG, Ore. – A tow truck driver is dead after being struck while recovering a vehicle on Interstate 5 on Wednesday.

Oregon State Police said it happened just before 11 p.m. at milepost 126 in the Roseburg area.

Walt’s Tow Company employee Henry Alan Lichtwald, 63, of Roseburg died at the scene after being hit by a commercial motor vehicle headed south. Police said the driver, 54-year-old Jagraj Singh Sidhu of Canada, failed to move over to make room for the tow truck.

Sidhu reportedly immediately pulled over after hitting the truck and Lichtwald and cooperated with the investigation.

I-5 was closed for more than an hour and was later restricted to one lane for several more hours as officials worked to clear the vehicles.

The Oregon Department of Transportation, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Roseburg Police Department, and Roseburg Fire and Fire District 2 assisted state police.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

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Tow truck driver killed in crash on Milwaukee's northwest side

Fatal rollover crash in Milwaukee on November 3, 2021

Maryland State Police troopers are investigating after an AAA worker was struck and killed by a vehicle on I-70. 

The man that was killed  is identified as Muhammad Shehzad, age 38, of Ellicott City. Shehzad was pronounced dead  at the scene by EMS personnel. Shehzad was a contractor for AAA, changing a tire for a motorist when police believe he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m. today, troopers at the Waterloo Barrack were  sent to the area of eastbound I-70, east of Marriottsville Road (Exit 83) for a crash. Responding troopers found two vehicles, a black Mercedes Benz ML350 and a white Chevrolet Express van, later identified as a AAA road service vehicle, parked on the right shoulder of the highway. A third vehicle, a black Chevrolet Colorado was located approximately 100 feet off of the right side of the roadway in a wooded area.

The preliminary investigation indicates Shehzad, later identified as the driver of the AAA road service vehicle was changing a tire on the rear driver’s side of the black Mercedes. As he was walking back to his vehicle, investigators believe he was struck by the Chevrolet Colorado.

Shezhad was wearing reflective clothing while he was working on the side of the road. His hazard lamps and emergency vehicle lights were also activated at the time of the incident.

Investigators believe the Chevrolet Colorado crossed over  into the shoulder portion of the highway when he struck the AAA vehicle and Shehzad. The Colorado continued to travel off of the right side of the highway, up and over an embankment and into a tree where the vehicle stopped. 

The driver of the Chevrolet Colorado is identified as Peter Blakemore, 77, of Front Royal Virginia.  Blakemore was taken to the R Adams Shock Trauma Center by ambulance. He was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation.

All lanes of eastbound I-70 were closed to facilitate the subsequent investigation. The Maryland State Police Crash Team responded to conduct the investigation. MDOT State Highway Administration

personnel responded to establish a detour around the area.

“We are saddened to learn of the tragic loss of our contracted AAA tow truck driver, Muhammad Shehzad, who was on the side of the road doing his job changing a member’s tire,” said Richard G. Towner, Jr., Vice President, Roadside Assistance & Approved Auto Repair, AAA Club Alliance. “Our hearts go out to his family and others in the towing community who help people every day. We are grateful for Muhammad Shehzad’s service as a first responder. His tragic death highlights the dangers roadside workers face daily. As drivers, we all need an awareness of those working on the side of the road and act to create a safe space for them by moving over a lane ---when we safely can --to prevent possible tragedies.”

The cause of the crash has not been determined at this time. Nothing has been ruled out as a cause or contributing factor. All possibilities are being considered.

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Two charged with murdering Oakland tow truck driver during attempted robbery

OAKLAND — Two 20-year-old men have been arrested and charged with murdering a tow truck driver during an attempted robbery last June, court records show.

Aaron Hein and Marco Dragula, both of Dublin, have been charged with murder and attempted second-degree robbery in the June 14 killing of 43-year-old Tim Nielsen, an Auburn resident.

Dragula is charged with shooting into an occupied car and personally discharging the gun that killed Nielsen, an indication that police believe him to be the shooter. Hein is charged as a “major participant” to the homicide who acted “with reckless disregard for human life,” the criminal complaint says.

Nielsen, a father of four, was on a repossession assignment in Oakland when he was fatally shot during a robbery attempt, authorities said. He was found dead about 4:13 a.m. inside his 2019 Ford F450 tow truck, which had crashed into a building in the 1800 block of East 12th Street at 19th Avenue.

A police probable-cause statement says simply that Dragula and Hein were identified by witnesses, without elaboration. Both men are in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin on no-bail holds, having been arrested Sept. 28, court records show.

Dragula has twice been charged with felony gun possession this year, in February and July. He was out on bail on both cases at the time of his arrest, court records show.

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Chris Harris •

Christopher Harris serves as the Executive Director of Unhyphenated America. He is a staunch Christian Constitutional Conservative who relocated from Colorado to Washington D.C.

"The port is jammed full of containers with no place to stack more. The liberal media is blaming it on the trucking industry while the nation's store shelves are becoming bare... Well there's more to the story. Could Gavin Newsom and California's liberal trucking laws be the blame ?

The NEWS says the California port situation is caused by a driver shortage.

Not so fast: It is in part caused by a California Truck Ban which says all trucks must be 2011 or newer and a law called AB 5 which prohibits Owner Operators.

Traditionally the ports have been served by Owner Operators (non union). California has now banned Owner Operators.

Long term, truckers in California are not investing in new trucks because California has a law that makes them illegal in 2035. The requirement is to purchase electric trucks which do not exist.

And in the words of Paul Harvey, 'Now you know the rest of the story'”. ~ Don Helms

An unusual incident led to traffic delays on the Alex Fraser Bridge during Wednesday morning’s commute.

There were two crashes in the northbound lanes of the bridge sometime before 6:30 a.m., according to DriveBC. A car loaded on the back of a tow truck broke free and rolled off into a semi and another vehicle, affecting southbound traffic.

The incidents have caused major traffic delays in both directions of the bridge, which spans the Fraser River connecting Richmond and New Westminster with North Delta.

All lanes have since reopened but drivers should expect heavy delays throughout Wednesday morning and consider alternate routes.

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