TowNews

1 hurt in 4-car crash involving tow truck, police SUV on I-8 in El Cajon EL CAJON (CNS) – A crash involving a tow truck, a police SUV and two other vehicles on Interstate 8 in El Cajon Tuesday sent one driver to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, authorities said. The crash was reported around 7:55 a.m. on westbound I-8, west of Mollison Avenue, California Highway Patrol Officer Travis Garrow said. A 47-year-old Chula Vista man was driving a Hino tow truck on the westbound freeway when traffic slowed and the vehicle rear-ended a Mazda 6 sedan driven by a 55-year-old El Cajon man, Garrow said. The impact pushed the Mazda into the back of a Lexus RX 350 SUV and also caused the Mazda to sideswipe a marked El Cajon Police Department Ford Explorer, the officer said. The Mazda driver was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, Garrow said. The tow truck driver, the Lexus driver — a 78- year-old El Cajon man — and the ECPD officer — a 1 1/2-year veteran of the department — were all uninjured. The crash blocked the right two lanes of the freeway for about 45 minutes. RESOURCE LINK

North Myrtle Beach passes new tow truck rules despite resident opposition, workshop to come It's hard to say how many cars are towed in North Myrtle Beach. North Myrtle Beach on Monday took to the first step in sending its old towing laws to the junkyard of defunct ordinances in an effort to crack down on predatory towing and ensure the city is aware of all private property tows that occur within the city limits. It was not an easy ride to get there as close to a dozen residents – including a tow truck company owner, homeowners’ association presidents and property managers – spoke against the ordinance. But councilors said they've been inundated with complaints from people who claimed that they were towed even when legally parked, and did pass first reading of the ordinance without any “no” votes, although it was not clear if every councilor took part in the voice vote. The proposed rules lay out a regulatory framework that mandates the involvement of the city’s public safety department before a wrecker performs any tows, and is designed to prevent wrecker companies from charging exorbitant or hidden administrative fees by codifying the exact type of fees and maximum amount of money the companies can charge for the tows. Under the proposal, the police have to show up before any nonconsensual tow takes place. Right now, if a tow company located outside the city limits is skirting the rules without the city’s knowledge, police officers have no legal recourse to enforce the law outside of their jurisdiction. By involving police before the tow happens, the city can prevent an illegal tow and have more documentation as proof if any company continues to break the law. “I have been told that some of these companies are willing to pay people on the property under the table if they call them about a car that they may feel should be towed,” said Mayor Marilyn Hatley. “That’s just dirty business. And we are tourist community. That is our industry and to prey upon people from out of state… just for money, I’m sorry, I’m totally against it.” Among the most controversial change in the new ordinances is the requirement that both the police and property owner or the owner’s agent of record show up to any “nonconsensual tow,” which is a tow initiated by the private property owner or agent of record to remove a vehicle from their property. An agent of record in this situation is someone who has the authority to call a wrecker service on behalf of the property owner. A property owner can designate any number of people to be agents of record. Under the existing ordinance, towing companies must inform the city’s public safety department within 30 minutes of any nonconsensual tow they make, but police are not required to be present for the tow. Also, the new ordinance explicitly mandates that a property owner or agent of record be present on the property to fill out an authorization form with the address of the tow, date and time of the tow, the reason for the tow, vehicle identification information, the location where the vehicle owner can retrieve their vehicle, and the “original wet ink signature of the private property owner or agent of record.” The existing ordinance requires an “original signature” of the property owner or agent of record, but did not use the qualifier of “wet ink” or explicitly mandate the physical presence of the property owner or agent of record, even though that was the intent. That language has led to some towing companies obtaining photocopies of pre-filled but incomplete authorization forms with a pre-signed signature, according to Public Safety Director Jay Fernandez, who said the city would then get photocopies of the forms. “My definition of a photocopy is not original; a copy is not original” Fernandez added. The proposed requirement caused concern for property owners who believe the high volume of towing calls will be too much of a workload for the city’s police department to handle. “I wonder when they get the thousands of calls they’re going to get, if they’re going to be able to respond,” said Marijane Ambrogi, president of Cherry Grove’s Sea Marsh 1 HOA. “I would think they have more important things to do then respond to my standing by a car and hoping a police officer gets there before the perpetrator beats me to a pulp because I called a police officer because he’s parked in the wrong area.” Fernandez countered that the city could respond quickly, and pointed out that the presence of police “can take care of any domestic issues you have, any problems. Call from your condo, stand in your condo. When we show up, you can walk out, we can help keep the peace.” The opposition to the new rules also caused confusion about the exact number of nonconsensual tows in the city. The current ordinance requires tow companies to fax in the authorization forms for each non-consensual tow, but of the 60 tows the city has been notified of this year, the wreckers sent in authorization forms for only half of them. Fernandez said the public safety department has six to eight units patrolling at any given time and could easily handle the number of non-consensual tows that the city is aware of. But several residents who live in condos that contract with tow companies to remove trespassing cars said their properties had multiple nonconsensual tows per day. “When I’m hearing five [tows] a day… there may be hundreds of tows being made that we’re not being [made] notice of,” said Fernandez. “That’s wrong. That’s against the law. I need to know about them. Of the 60 we have documented that are called in, we have a requirement that that documentation needs to be faxed, sent to us, or hand-delivered. Of those 60, we have approximately 30. At least 50 percent have not been delivered. And we have talked to wrecker owners about those issues and we’ve gotten nowhere.” Some city officials said most of the problems with predatory towing were caused by a single tow company that covers most commercially-owned private lots in the city. “The issue we are trying to deal with today is a towing company within the city that goes and seeks cars to tow,” said councilor Nikki Fontana. “We are trying to eliminate a towing company that is paying people to put eyes on cars that pull into spaces and has violated the ordinance as it is written.” While Fontana and others didn’t explicitly name the towing company they were referring to, Coastline Towing owner Richard Pate identified himself as the subject of the accusations. “It’d be nice, before we got accused of something, for somebody to have proof of what y’all are talking about,” Pate said, adding that his company covers about 300 properties within the city limits and does most of the nonconsensual tows in town. The Coastline Towing owner also said he thinks the problems stem from a disagreement about how to interpret the city’s towing ordinance. “We’re a viable business in the city of North Myrtle Beach and we’ve been here for 35 years,” Pate said. “It’s not something that we just started yesterday. We work with Highway Patrol, we do Atlantic Beach and Horry County. We don’t have anybody complaining about the job that we do. We just have a few differences that we don’t agree on about the way the city ordinance is wrote, and that’s really all this is about.” Pate blamed the lack of faxed authorization forms for half the city’s tows on the city’s fax machine, and said he told Fernandez about the problem months ago. “I told him then that we were having trouble faxing them over to the city and he said the city was having trouble with their phone service,” Pate said. “We’re not bad people, we’re trying to do the right thing.” James Gause, who owns Gause’s Towing and Recovery, said he didn’t think police would have time to inspect every vehicle that gets towed, but that the presence of police would make things easier on him as a tow truck operator from a liability standpoint. “That’d be great for us,” he said. Gause also said that some wrecker companies in town aren’t following the rules, and that the police need to be able to enforce the rules consistently against the rulebreakers. “These towing companies are not reporting their private property tows to the police department,” he said. “They’re basically roving the street, they’re stealing from people. So people like myself who run a legitimate business, we know it’s happening, and the city knows it’s happening. The point is, they have a hard time catching them and also enforcing the rules.” The towing and recovery operator estimated that he does only one or two nonconsensual tows a month within the city limits. “I do common-sense towing,” he said. “I try to give the person the opportunity to move their vehicle prior to towing them. I just don’t go hijack their car just because. I think towing is a mutual agreement. Just because your vehicle is there doesn’t mean I have to be the butthole to tow it. I can also give you the opportunity to do the right thing.” And Gause said honesty, or lack thereof, is the reason for the difference between the alleged “hundreds” of tows in the city versus the 60 that the public safety department know about. “I think the disconnect comes down to whether you want to be honest or not, and some people are not being honest,” he added. While the intent of the existing ordinance is that the property owner or agent of record should show up on scene for a tow, in practice, that didn’t always happen. The new language offers no vagueness or grey area about the requirement that the property owner or agent of record show up on scene. “You’re talking about a registered agent or owner having to call the police themselves and waiting for the police officer to get there,” said Pam Stanley, HOA manager for Pierwatch Villas in Cherry Grove. “There is no way for us doing that without hiring security, which we can’t really afford to do, honestly. Rents are already depressed and the owners are already stretched thin. Our owners have the right to enjoy their property and their guests enjoy their property without needing government permission to remove trespassers from their property.” Councilor J.O. Baldwin also expressed concern about the effect the new rules would have for property owners. “My concern was a property owner, in the new verbiage, has to be present,” Baldwin said. “In my opinion, I think that can’t be possible sometimes. I understand the agent of record, but you have to hire somebody, and that might be an unnecessary burden and could put them and [their] safety at risk as well.” To be clear, the old towing ordinance also required the sign-off of a property owner or agent of record on an authorization form, but without the “wet ink” stipulation, residents did not interpret the law as requiring them to by physically present during the tow. “We do have a problem here,” Baldwin said. “What we don’t want to do is end up creating another problem, and that happens sometimes.” Although council passed the ordinance on first reading, the city’s public safety department plans to meet with the tow companies operating in the city to figure out the actual number of non-consensual tows taking place, and then hold a workshop to figure out how best to address the issue once all the facts have been agreed-upon. “Obviously there’s a lot of misunderstanding around here,” Hatley said. “I hear from the residents of these condominium units they’re having numerous cars towed every day, and then I’m hearing from our public safety director that there’s only 60 on file. Something’s not right. And we need to get to the bottom of this and figure out just what is the truth? And I’ve got a feeling we’ll be surprised.” Click here to read the current towing ordinance. Click here to read the proposed towing ordinance. RESOURCE LINK

Canadian Hauling Company Socked With Towing Bill Of Over $18,000 In Chicago, And Not For First Time

Stealth Towing and Recovery Services Reports the loss of two of their employees in a tragic accident. With a sad and heavy heart Stealth Towing and Recovery Services is heartbroken to announce that we lost two amazing men early Thursday morning 8/13/2020. Jimmy and Pops were some of the best, hard working men on our team! We didn’t just lose a part of our team we lost our brothers. While they were working on Wednesday night their vehicle was rear ended at an excessive speed and sadly ended their lives. Please send any prayers to their families at this extremely difficult time. Note: This is being reported with only the details available. If someone has more information please add it here. 2 men dead after crash in Mountain Creek area, Dallas police say Two people are dead after the car they were in was rear-ended by another vehicle early Thursday in the Mountain Creek area, Dallas police said. Officers responded to the crash shortly before 1 a.m. in the 3300 block of Mountain Creek Parkway, police say. According to officials, a vehicle was speeding when it crashed into the back of another vehicle, killing the two occupants inside. One woman from the speeding vehicle is being questioned by police. The other woman was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police say. RESOURCE LINK Jimmy Dale Mitchell II December 15, 1971 ~ August 13, 2020 (age 48) https://www.azlefuneralhome.com/obituary/Jimmy-MitchellII?fbclid=IwAR1GUXZPAKi11uU0Mu2Shzg46Z9jJNIJtFkG1jL0rhXm2KYJjgT4iG5ftJs

*OFFICIAL RELEASE* Crothersville Police Officer Seriously Hurt in I-65 Crash This morning, August 14th, 2020, the Indiana State Police responded to a two vehicle crash on I-65 in Jackson County that resulted in a Crothersville Police Officer being sent to an Indianapolis hospital with serious injuries. The initial investigation by the Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Investigation Response Team indicated two Crothersville Police Officers were providing traffic control for a highway maintenance crew that was working on I-65. Shortly before 6:00 am, the two officers had pulled onto I-65 Northbound near the 44 mile marker. The police vehicles were blocking both northbound lanes of I-65 with their emergency lights activated. Officer Michael A. Weiler, age 45, a five year veteran of the Crothersville Police Department, was in the right lane in a fully marked Ford Crown Victoria. A International truck pulling a trailer, being driven by Harvest L. Beacham, age 37, Indianapolis, Indiana was traveling in the right lane of I-65 Northbound approaching the police vehicles. Beacham’s vehicle collided with the rear of Weiler’s vehicle. Weiler’s vehicle was pushed off the east side of the roadway where it overturned, coming to rest on its top. Beacham’s vehicle entered the median where it collided with the cable barrier before coming to a stop. Officer Weiler was extricated from his vehicle before being flown from the scene to St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, Indiana for treatment of serious injuries. Beacham was uninjured in the crash. Alcohol and drugs are not believed to be factors although toxicology results are pending. The investigation is ongoing at this time. The Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Investigation Response Team was assisted by numerous troopers from the ISP-Versailles and Sellersburg Districts as well as the ISP-Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Crothersville Police Department, Brownstown Police Department, Jackson County EMS, Vernon Township Fire Department, Jackson-Washington Fire Department, Redding Township Fire Department, St. Vincent-Stat Flight Medical Helicopter, 31 Wrecker Service, and C & C Towing also assisted at the scene. Attached: Photos of Crash Scene -30- SGT. STEPHEN WHEELES These incidents of law enforcement officers being struck have been rising rapidly over the past few years and will likely exceed that of Tow Truck Operators with a very few years.

Houston-Galveston Area Council expanding ‘Tow and Go’ program to Jersey Village. The Houston-Galveston Area Council announced Wednesday, Aug. 5, the expansion of its free towing service for drivers whose vehicles break down on the road. The Gulf Coast Regional Tow and Go Program is now serving motorists on all camera-monitored freeways in Harris County and the cities of Jersey Village, Humble, La Porte and Bellaire. Tow and Go is managed by H-GAC and is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is a contributing partner in working with permitted Tow and Go operators since the program began, according to an H-GAC press release. Houston-Galveston Area Council expanding ‘Tow and Go’ program to Jersey Village By Alvaro Montano, Staff writer Published 4:10 pm CDT, Tuesday, August 11, 2020 Photo: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff Photographer Tow truck driver Rico Luna leaves the parking lot of Transtar while driving for the Tow & Go service, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020, in Houston. The Houston-Galveston Area Council announced Wednesday, August 5, the expansion of its Gulf Coast Regional Tow and Go Program service area with all camera-monitored freeways now in Jersey Village, Harris County, La Porte, Bellaire and Humble. The Houston-Galveston Area Council announced Wednesday, Aug. 5, the expansion of its free towing service for drivers whose vehicles break down on the road. The Gulf Coast Regional Tow and Go Program is now serving motorists on all camera-monitored freeways in Harris County and the cities of Jersey Village, Humble, La Porte and Bellaire. Tow and Go is managed by H-GAC and is funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office is a contributing partner in working with permitted Tow and Go operators since the program began, according to an H-GAC press release. If a car that is driving in the program’s service area stops due to a problem like running out gas, overheating or a flat tire, that car will be moved to the safest closest site within one mile of the exit free of charge by an operator. The press release states that vehicle clearance will be authorized by law enforcement officers able to monitor traffic cameras in real time at the Houston TranStar traffic center or from the scene on the freeway. H-GAC Regional Incident Management Program Manager David Fink said in the press release that as inhabitants keep coming to the Gulf Coast region, services like Tow and Go “become more essential towards relieving congestion, addressing costs, and improving safety on our freeways.” Motorcycles will be towed as part of the Tow and Go Program, and trailers as well when possible. Vehicles that won’t be eligible for free tows include cars that have been flooded, abandoned, involved in a crash or in a law enforcement incident. In these cases, the owners would have to pay the local jurisdictions’ standard towing rates. The press release also states that when other towing services like AAA are called by drivers, that operator has to reach the location before authorized operators have been deployed from the TranStar traffic center. When that happens, the other operator must meet the driver at the site where the car has been moved. For additional info about the Tow and Go program, visit TowandGo.com. RESOURCE LINK

Jaguar driver found car being removed after parking in disabled bay - so he jumped inside and got towed with it A Jaguar driver who found his car being removed got into the vehicle and ended up being towed with it. The motorist had parked their Jaguar XF sports car in a disabled bay on St Mary's Street. Instead of accepting the penalty, the driver took matters into his own hands, and jumped inside the car while it was attached to the tow truck. Police were called to the scene in a bid to talk the driver round, but he still refused to get out of the car. Pictures from the scene show a number of police officers surrounding the vehicle, as they try and persuade the driver to get out. After several refusals, officers from GMP gave the recovery truck the green light to return the car to the pound - with the driver still inside. The Jaguar, and the driver, had to be returned to the nearest car pound under a police escort. Councillor Nigel Murphy, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, slammed the motorist's actions as 'selfish' and 'extremely dangerous.' "We can confirm that a car was removed from the city centre this weekend after it was found to be illegally parked in a disabled bay in St. Mary’s Street," he said. "As the vehicle was in the process of being removed its owner took an extremely dangerous course of action, and jumped onto the recovery truck, got inside his vehicle and refused to leave. "After refusing to get out, GMP were informed and officers attended the scene. After further refusals to get out of the vehicle, the driver of the recovery truck complied with a request from GMP to return to the pound, under a police escort." "Parking illegally is frustrating enough without a motorist selfishly occupying a disabled space. We want to make it clear that if anyone decides to break the law we will ensure their car is removed and they are fined," he added. The driver was fined £30 for the parking infringement and £100 for the release of his vehicle. Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for comment about the incident. RESOURCE LINK

Media Advisory: What Drivers Need to Know about Reforming the Tow Truck Industry - a virtual town hall and panel discussion Register Here: https://www.livemeeting.ca/profile/caa/ THORNHILL, ON, Aug. 11, 2020 /CNW/ - As part of the journey toward a fair towing framework, please join CAA, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Provincial Towing Association of Ontario (PTAO) for a virtual discussion on what drivers need to know, the challenges currently facing towing in Ontario, and an overview of what the future of the industry could entail. Consumer protection and road safety are key considerations for industry reform. This webinar will be an opportunity for the public to engage and provide feedback. When: Wednesday, August 12, 2020 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m What: Join our virtual town hall and panel discussion Where: RSVP is required To register and for more information, visit: https://www.livemeeting.ca/profile/caa/ Who: Teresa Di Felice, AVP Government & Community Relations, CAA SCO Sgt. Kerry Schmidt, Ontario Provincial Police, Highway Safety Division Mark Graves, President, Provincial Towing Association of Ontario Lisa Bragg, MediaFace - Moderator Open to both members of the public and the media. About CAA South Central Ontario For over a hundred years, CAA has been helping Canadians stay mobile, safe and protected. CAA South Central Ontario is one of nine auto clubs across Canada providing roadside assistance, travel, insurance services and Member savings for our over 2 million Members. SOURCE CAA South Central Ontario https://www.livemeeting.ca/profile/caa/

A Perth man has told of the shocking moment he barricaded himself in his car while tow truck drivers banged on the windows, sharing the ordeal in the hope it would “clean up” WA’s towing industry News Article is Subscriber Only

This News Story should reflect Auto Transport Driver. While any loss of life is tragic industry, these types of transport carriers are more in line with the Auto Transporters Industry. NHP: Tow truck driver dies after crash with National Guard vehicle on I-15 near valley LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- Nevada Highway Patrol said they were on scene of a fatal crash northeast of the Las Vegas Valley on Monday. The agency responded to the crash about 3 p.m. on August 10. The crash happened on I-15 southbound near mile marker 64, near the U.S. 93 split northeast of the valley. The crash involved two large trucks, NHP said. Trooper Travis Smaka said a white Isuzu tow truck carrying a silver SUV was speeding southbound on I-15 approaching a large tan Army National Guard vehicle. "For reasons unknown, the Isuzu failed to decrease its speed and struck the rear of the slower moving tan vehicle," Smaka said. The driver of the tow truck died on scene. Travel on I-15 southbound is down to one lane and traffic is moving slowly. NHP advised drivers to avoid the area. The Clark County Coroner will identify the deceased driver after next of kin has been notified. RESOURCE LINK

A man on a scooter was killed after being hit by a tow truck driver on Sunday morning in southwest Houston, according to police. Police said they are looking for the driver accused of hitting the man on Westheimer and Chimney Rock without stopping. The man was on a scooter heading westbound on a crosswalk when the driver of an unknown dark colored vehicle going eastbound almost hit him. That's when the man jumped off the scooter and the driver of a white tow truck hit him. Police said the driver of the tow truck could face a felony failure to stop and render aid charge. The man was dead when police arrived. Police interviewed witnesses and are looking for more people who saw the incidents. RESOURCE LINK with video NOTE: When reviewing the video the Tow Truck was the second vehicle to allegedly hit the victim. No description of either vehicle was given other than it was a White Tow Truck.

Bernard D. Rusiniak Sr., 88, founded auto service and towing business May 9, 1932 – Aug. 4, 2020 Bernard D. "Bernie" Rusiniak Sr., who founded an auto service and towing business, died Aug. 4 in his Cheektowaga home after a brief illness. He was 88. Born in Buffalo, he attended Depew High School. In 1949, at the age of 17, he borrowed money from his family to open a two-bay gas and service station on Union Road between Walden Avenue and William Street, across from the future Appletree Mall. When Mr. Rusiniak was drafted in 1950, his father left his job in the quarry at Buffalo Crushed Stone to keep the service station open while he served in the Navy in the Mediterranean. They remained partners in the business until 1970. He bought his first tow truck in the early 1950s, working on AAA service calls and later with the Cheektowaga Police Department. He later added a flatbed truck and expanded the service bays at his business. Rusiniak’s Service grew dramatically in 1979 when it acquired another towing firm that had a contract to answer service calls on the Thruway. Its fleet grew to seven tow trucks, easily recognized by their bright red paint. A repair facility and a collision shop later were built on Old Union Road in Cheektowaga. His son, Bernard Jr., who began working at the service station as a boy, purchased it in 1983. His son, Daniel, and daughter, Leanne Marks, also have joined the business. In retirement, he divided his time between Cheektowaga and a winter home in Delray Beach, Fla. During the summer, he continued assisting daily at the business until two days before his death, transporting customers, making deliveries and helping around the shop. A boating enthusiast, he was a longtime member of the Western New York Power Boat Association and raced informally on the Niagara River. He obtained his pilot’s license and flew his own single-engine planes in the 1960s and 1970s. In Florida, he developed a passion for tennis and was a competitive doubles player. He had known his wife, the former Barbara A. Nazzarett, since they were neighbors as children in Depew. They were married in 1957. In addition to waiting on gasoline customers during the early years, she served as bookkeeper for the business. In addition to his wife and son, survivors include three grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Funeral services will be private. RESOURCE LINK https://www.rusiniaks.com/

A man is in critical condition after the truck he was driving veered off the road on Interstate 69 Friday morning and hit a wrecker on the side of the highway. A 30-year-old man is in critical condition after he drifted off Interstate 69 in the box truck he was driving and struck a tow truck parked on the side of the road. William Alexander Benavides remained at Kingwood Hospital Friday afternoon. Department of Public Safety Sgt. Erik Burse said Benavides was north on Interstate 69 when he stuck the back of a Saddle Creek Towing and Recovery tow truck. Once on scene, firefighters with the Porter Fire Department worked 30 minutes to free Benavides from the heavily damaged box truck. The incident is still under investigation. RESOURCE LINK On FB Brenda Richardson stated: "Just before 2 am a Saddle Creek Towing Company truck was stopped on the inside shoulder of I-69 between Northpark and FM 1314 after just clearing a scene with his overhead lights on. An auto parts box truck for unknown reason ran off the inside lane onto the shoulder and struck the wrecker. The wrecker driver who was in the driver’s seat was transported to Kingwood Hospital in stable condition. The box truck driver was entrapped. Porter Fire Department worked close to 30 minutes to free him. He was transported to Kingwood Hospital by MCHD in critical condition. DPS is investigating the crash."

News Video Link: https://fox4kc.com/video/kc-woman-injured-in-hit-and-run-involving-tow-truck/5742578/ KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A hit-and-run in Kansas City has left one woman injured, traumatized and without a car, while authorities look for the other driver.

Woman sentenced 10-30 years in prison for I-94 crash that killed tow truck driver, passenger ANN ARBOR, MI – A woman charged with 19 felonies associated with a drunken driving crash that killed her passenger and a tow truck driver on I-94 more than two years ago has been sentenced. Washtenaw County Trial Judge Carol Kuhnke sentenced Andre-A Edwards to serve 10 to 30 years in prison, May 19, after pleading no contest to all 19 felony counts included second-degree murder, court records show. Edwards, 27, of Ann Arbor, pleaded no contest to all counts March 24 but her sentencing was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused many state operations to temporarily shut down. Topic Reference: https://www.towforce.net/topic/2225-re-michigan-tow-operator-killed-today-5-29-2018/ The case stems from a crash that occurred on May 29, 2018, where Edwards was behind the wheel of black Ford Explorer that crashed into the back of a school bus being serviced on the side of eastbound I-94 near U.S. 23. The bus was unoccupied, but the tow truck driver attending to the bus, Nader Chehadi, 42, of Ypsilanti, was at the rear of the bus when the crash occurred and was pronounced dead at the scene. One of Edwards’ passengers, Antoinette Butler, 28, of Ypsilanti, also died days later. Edwards and her three minor children, ages 2, 4, and 5, were also seriously injured in the crash. Evidence showed none of the children were wearing seat belts or child restraints. Edwards was later arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of operating while intoxicated causing death and two counts of operating a vehicle while license suspended causing death, three counts of second-degree child abuse, three counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, two counts operating while intoxicated third offense and three counts of operating a vehicle with a suspended license causing serious injury. After being found competent to stand trial, Edwards was bound over for trial following an emotional preliminary examination in May 2019, before Washtenaw County District Court Judge Elizabeth Pollard Hines. “She did not intend to kill anyone, but she did act in blatant disregard for the safety of others which makes a charge of second-degree murder appropriate,” Hines said during the examination. “She was driving more than 77 miles per hour on the freeway when she knew she wasn’t allowed to be driving in the first place, with alcohol and drugs in her system and her three young children in the back of the SUV unrestrained.” Butler died of a closed head injury and Chehadi died of crushing injuries and the severing of his spin, according to autopsy reports discussed during the preliminary examination Michigan State Police Sgt. Allen Avery, a crash reconstructionist, determined Edwards was driving about 80 miles per hour leading up to the crash and was going 66 when she hit the bus. According to data pulled from the SUV’s event data recorder, at no point during the crash were the brakes used, Avery testified. A blood draw, taken about five hours after the crash, found Edwards had a blood alcohol content of .035 as well as 2 nanograms of THC in her system, police said. Due to COVID-19 concerns, Edwards is still lodged in the Washtenaw County Jail and has not yet been transferred to the Michigan Department of Corrections. RESOURCE LINK

BELMONT HILLS, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- The heavy rain dumped on the region by Tropical Storm Isaias on led to flooding across the area, including a busy intersection just off the Schuylkill Expressway. It looked like river rapids as water gushed down Belmont Avenue at the ramps to I-76 around midday Tuesday. "In about two minutes, the water just came out of the drainpipe up there and flooded the entire area, and was about three feet high," said Jerry DeFrancesco of Bala Motor Sports, a nearby business. Two drivers became stranded in the floodwater after two drains became clogged with debris. Bala Motor Sports employee Rick Ortiz backed up his tow truck to pull one woman to safety. "The water got so high up. I just came around and said, 'look, I can rescue them because it's getting too crazy,'" Ortiz said. Soon, Lower Merion firefighters arrived and moved as a team across the engulfed Belmont Avenue. They brought another driver and one of Ortiz's co-workers to safety. "I work in the office. I saw the water coming high, so that's when I told myself 'I gotta get out of there,'" said Bala Motor Sports employee Maria Oyola. RESOURCE LINK with video

News Story: https://www.towforce.net/topic/10427-tower-down-080320-wa/

Man Killed in Crash Between Tow Truck and Semi Near Salkum; One Passenger Airlifted to Hospital A tow truck attempting to make a U-turn on U.S. Highway 12 near Salkum early Monday morning was T-boned by a semi truck, killing the driver of the tow truck and sending the three others involved to the hospital with injuries, according to the Washington State Patrol. The WSP did not identify the deceased man, who is from Cle Elum, and determined the cause of the crash as an “unsafe U-turn.” According to the narrative summary provided by the state patrol, at 1:44 a.m. a tow truck with two passengers was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 12 approaching Stowell Road near milepost 78 when it attempted to make a u-turn but was struck by an oncoming semi-truck. “Both vehicles were traveling westbound prior to the collision,” Trooper Dakota Russell, who was on the scene Monday morning, said. “The tow truck … did not see the semi-truck behind them thus causing a T-bone collision,” Injuries were sustained by the semi truck driver, a 70-year-old Napavine man, and the two tow truck passengers, a 35-year-old Olympia woman and a 38-year-old Rainier woman, according to the WSP. The Napavine man was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital, the Olympia woman — who was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the WSP — was transported to Morton General Hospital. The Rainier woman was airlifted to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver. It is unknown if drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision as of now, according to the state patrol. Eyewitness Jodi Hornby wrote the following account of the aftermath of the crash, “At 1:40 a.m. Jon and I jumped out of bed because we thought we heard a plane crash. I ran outside, saw corn and glass all over the road, heard a neighbor say, ‘We need help out here!’ and called Lewis County Dispatch.” Hornby, who reportedly spoke with one of the passengers in the tow truck, wrote that the Olympia woman was sleeping in the car being towed at the time of the crash. “She was sleeping in the passenger seat of the car being towed,” Hornby wrote. “Miraculously, the car came off the trailer and landed perfectly upright, right next to the flatbed.” RESOURCE LINK UPDATED 08.10.20 Man Identified in Fatal Car Crash Between Tow Truck, Semi Truck Near Salkum The Cle Elum driver who was killed when his vehicle was struck by a semi truck when he attempted to make a U-turn on U.S. Highway 12 near Salkum last Monday has been identified by the Lewis County Coroner’s Office. Rodney A. Petroff, 64, was identified as the tow truck driver traveling westbound on Highway 12 at 1:44 a.m. on Aug. 3 and attempted to turn the vehicle around but was hit by a semi truck who was approaching his vehicle from behind. The Washington State Patrol still has not determined whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. A 38-year-old Rainier woman who was in the passenger seat of the tow truck was airlifted to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver while a 35-year-old Olympia woman who was in the vehicle being towed without a seatbelt on, was taken to Morton General Hospital. The 70-year-old Napavine man driving the semi truck was taken to Providence Centralia Hospital with injuries. RESOURCE LINK

The Information is that a Tow Operator with Blake's Towing in Baltimore, MD. was struck today! Posted on Baltimore Metro Breaking News Page PARKVILLE | BALTIMORE CO | MVC-MAJOR TRAUMA | I-695 & HARFORD RD | 2 VEH MVC - 1 PRI-1 & 1 PRI-2 PATIENT Note: this proves tow operators are not safe even when working the non traffic side. Tow Truck Driver Injured After Being Struck By Vehicle On Side Of I-695 In Parkville PARKVILLE, Md. (WJZ) — Maryland State Police are investigating a crash that injured a tow truck operator working on the side of the road in Baltimore County. The victim is identified as Antonio Martinez, 38, of Baltimore. He was taken to Shock Trauma for treatment. The driver of the Saturn Ion involved in the crash is identified as Purcell Montague, 72, of Martinsburg, West Virginia. Charges are pending the outcome of the investigation and consultation with the Baltimore County State’s Attorney, according to police. Montague was taken to the hospital by EMS personnel. The other passenger in his car was uninjured in the crash. Shortly before 3:30 p.m. Saturday, police, along with Martinez, were clearing vehicles from an earlier crash on I-695 in Parkville. All emergency vehicles on the side of the road had their emergency equipment activated and all activity was on the left shoulder, police said. Police said, for reasons unknown at this time, Montague swerved to the left and struck Martinez who was on the shoulder behind the parked tow truck. The Saturn subsequently traveled up the tow bed, which was lowered and struck the vehicle on the tow bed, according to police. Maryland State Police from the Golden Ring Barrack on the scene immediately rendered aid to Martinez until emergency medical service personnel arrived. EMS personnel from the Baltimore County Fire Department responded and transported Martinez to the hospital. The investigation remains ongoing. RESOURCE LINK UPDATED PRESS RELEASE from Maryland state Police https://news.maryland.gov/msp/2020/08/01/maryland-state-police-investigate-pedestrian-crash-that-injured-a-tow-truck-operator-in-baltimore-co/ Antonio Martinez, a 38-year-old tow-truck driver, remains in critical condition.

Charlotte tow truck driver accused of pepper spraying customer for third time CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - A Charlotte tow truck driver already on thin ice with the North Carolina Attorney General, has been accused of pepper-spraying a customer, again. David Satterfield is facing a simple assault charge for pepper-spraying a man while he was towing his car. Satterfield is already facing a lawsuit from the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office for price gouging during the pandemic. Alfred Webb admits he was parked in the fire lane but says he was sitting in a friend’s car right behind his when David Satterfield showed up to the Silverstone apartments and started towing his car. “I immediately jump out of the car and I’m like hey ‘Hey what are you doing? I’m right here,” Webb said. He says Satterfield asked for $100 to get his car off the tow truck. Webb says as he called his girlfriend to try and get the money, he chased Satterfield to try and prevent him from leaving. He says the argument escalated but never got physical. “He pulls out his phone and says ‘I’m feeling threatened’ and pepper-sprayed me right in my face twice,” Webb said. Webb filed a complaint with a magistrate and Satterfield has been charged simple assault. But this isn’t the first time. RESOURCE LINK with video

Tow truck driver and stranded motorist killed in crash on I-15 freeway near Baker BAKER, Calif. (VVNG.com) — A tow truck driver helping a stranded motorist were both killed in a traffic accident along the 15 freeway early Thursday morning near the town of Baker. It happened at about 5:17 AM on July 30, 2020, on the southbound 1-15, south of Rasor Road. According to a California Highway Patrol news release, a 23-year-old Apple Valley man was driving a 2013 Freightliner, hauling two bottom-dump trailers at speeds of 55 miles per hour. “For reasons still under investigation, the driver allowed the truck tractor-trailer combination to leave the #2 lane and travel onto the west shoulder of Interstate 15 southbound,” stated the CHP release. At this time, a 43-year old male tow truck driver from Barstow, associated with a 2004 GMC tow truck, was providing assistance to a 39-year old male from Cleveland, Ohio, with a flat tire on a 2002 Chevrolet. CHP said the GMC tow truck and the Chevrolet occupied by a female and two juveniles were both parked on the right-hand shoulder of the freeway. “Due to the truck driver’s unsafe turning movement, the Freightliner collided with the GMC,” stated CHP officials. “Due to the Freightliner colliding with the GMC, the GMC collided into the 43-year old male and 39-year old male, causing them to suffer fatal injuries.” The GMC continued in a southerly direction and collided with the Chevrolet. After the collision, the Freightliner came to rest in the dirt center divider partially blocking the #1 lane, the GMC and Chevrolet came to rest in the open desert terrain west of Interstate 15. The 41-year old female and two juveniles from Granada Hills were transported by San Bernardino County Fire for precautionary reasons to Barstow Community Hospital. The Apple Valley man was not injured as a result of the collision. CHP said alcohol and/or drugs are not suspected to be a contributing factor in this collision. The identities of the 43-year old male and 39-year old male pronounced deceased at the scene will be released by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s-Coroner office pending notification of next of kin. Anyone with information is asked to call the California Highway Patrol Barstow office at (760) 255-5900. RESOURCE LINK

Company owner calls for end to ‘first-on-scene’ towing, July 25 Since when did a motorists’s private property become the property of a tow truck operator immediately after a collision? If I am involved in an accident, I still own my vehicle. A tow truck or anyone else should not be able to touch my vehicle without my permission. My car is still my personal property, and I, and no one else, should determine who can tow that property and where my car is towed to. If I replace my broken kitchen sink, can any plumber who arrives at my house first come into my house and replace my sink without my consent? Never mind government intervention in this, what happened to consumer choice in who touches my personal property? I just don’t get it. RESOURCE LINK

Driver From Greenwich Flees Scene After Crashing Into Fire Hydrant In New Canaan, Police Say A 45-year-old tow truck driver was arrested after being caught striking a fire hydrant and attempting to flee in Fairfield County, police said. Greenwich resident Simon Sacremento was caught by a whistleblower at approximately 4:50 p.m. on Monday, July 20 when he drove his tow truck into a fire hydrant on Southwood Drive owned by the Aquarian Water Company, prompting the woman to call the New Canaan Police Department. Police said that the witness saw Sacremento strike the fire hydrant, damage it, and proceed to flee the scene. The investigation led police to Sacremento, who turned himself in on Saturday, July 25, where he was arrested and charged with evading responsibility after being involved in an accident involving property damage, a misdemeanor. Sacremento was released and scheduled to respond back in court on Tuesday, Aug. 25. RESOURCE LINK

Tyler Laudenslager was a father, a husband, and a firefighter who was struck & killed by a vehicle while he was working as a tow truck driver The number one problem with Pennsylvania's 'steer clear' law lies in its name, says supporters of a new effort to rename the law to 'move over.' "First thing I would change is the name," said Jackie Weyandt of H&S Towing Service, moments after she wiped tears from her face as she remembered her co-worker, Tyler Laudenslager. Laudenslager was a Halifax firefighter, a husband, a father, and a tow truck driver whose life was ended when he was struck by a driver while working on Interstate 78 in Bethel Township July 21st. On Monday outside his towing company, H&S raised an American flag and a flag with a yellow stripe in his honor. Below the two flags, a sign was also placed along the roadway to remind drivers to 'move over.' "Knowing it as the 'steer clear' law when the other 49 states and District of Columbia refer to it as the 'move over,' that puts us a little behind of the public awareness," said Todd Leiss, Traffic Incident Management Coordinator at the PA Turnpike. The 'Steer Clear' law requires drivers to move over or slow down when they encounter an emergency scene, traffic stop or disabled vehicle. Both Leiss and representatives for H&S Towing note, some people who criticize the law also point to the fines that some believe are too low. "$250 for the first offense; $500 dollars for the second offense for failing to move over, steer clear; a $1000 for the third offense. If a responder is killed it's a $10,000 fine," said Leiss. Leiss has spoken with Laudenslager's family and has recently added Laudenslager's photo to an interactive map that is meant to raise awareness of line-of-duty deaths caused by vehicles. Laudenslager leaves behind a wife and a 10-month-old child. The same day Laudenslager lost his life, Leiss noted that there was another accident in Henrietta Township, OH. And, four days later on July 25th there was also a crash in Monroe Township, MS. As for Weyandt, she said close calls on the roadway still happen far too often. "I'm telling these guys constantly, watch your back. Watch traffic. Load it up as quickly as you possibly can and get out of there," said Weyandt. When asked how Laudenslager would have felt knowing that H&S towing was now pushing for changes in the state's 'steer clear' law, Weyandt said she thought he would have been very proud. "We are a small towing company, so we are all pretty much a family," said Weyandt as she looked back on memories she shared with Laudenslager, including a funny last conversation regarding his work uniform tearing frequently. "He was one of the good guys," she said. "He was a good one." Weyandt shared this statement with FOX43: "People need educated on the Steer Clear Law, better known as the Slow Down, Move Over law. When you see police, fire, EMS, tow truck operators, highway construction or any other services pulled off the side of the road, give them room to work. That is our office. That is our life on the line. There are loved ones waiting for us to come home at the end of the day. Far too many lives are taken because people are in a rush to get nowhere. That phone call or that text is nowhere near as important as the life you could potentially take because you weren't focused on the road ahead of you. Distracted driving, speeding...all ingredients for a devastating loss for someone's family and friends. Tyler Laudenslager's wife will never get to hold her husband's hand again. His daughter will never get to be a daddy's girl. This tragic, senseless death could have easily been avoided had someone not been so careless, so selfish. PLEASE, slow down. Wait to answer that call or text. Move over for those men and women working alongside the roadways. They want to go home too." - Jackie Weyandt , Human Resources Director, H&S Towing Service, Inc RESOURCE LINK