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man who left the scene after striking and killing a pedestrian with his car last year in Spotsylvania County pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony hit and run.
Christopher Anthony Dickerson, 33, of Fredericksburg, entered the plea in Spotsylvania Circuit Court, where he is scheduled to be sentenced in November. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Deven P. Morgan, 41, of Fredericksburg, was attempting to cross the 10900 block of Courthouse Road late Oct. 26 in the Four Mile Fork area when he was struck by an eastbound vehicle that kept going.
Dickerson became a suspect after police received a call from a body shop regarding a suspicious tow. The vehicle had extensive damage to the windshield and driver’s front panel and hair consistent with Morgan’s was recovered from the wreckage.
The tow truck driver was told that the driver hit a deer on Brock Road and the vehicle had also been hit by a rock, Spotsylvania Detective Earle Swift wrote in court papers.
Swift also talked to a passenger in the vehicle, who told him that he recalled Dickerson’s vehicle striking something that night but did not know what he’d hit.
The passenger told Swift he and Dickerson had been at a party in Spotsylvania prior to the collision and continued on to a nightspot in downtown Fredericksburg afterward.
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2-year-old boy dies after baby sitter allegedly crashed her car, never reported it to police
ROSEVILLE, Mich. (FOX2) - A mother and father are mourning the loss of their child who died after a babysitter crashed her car.
Gerald Redmond is comforted by his daughter, Jayla. Her parents are devastated, angry, and missing her 2-year-old brother.
Jeremiah was found unresponsive at his babysitter's home in Roseville Sunday morning.
"You put two toddlers and a seven-year-old in complete danger and after your accident, you did nothing as an adult to make sure these kids were going to be fine," Redmond said.
"I had to get a phone call letting me know my son is dead," said Jessica Johnson, his mother.
Johnson had dropped off Jayla and twins Josiah and Jeremiah at the babysitter's house Saturday evening. The next thing she knew, police were calling Sunday morning - Jeremiah was dead.
It is alleged the 33-year-old babysitter was in a car accident overnight, with the kids in the car, with no car seats and that's not all.
"My daughter said there wasn't enough seat belts, so somebody was out of a seatbelt back there, and she hit a tree," Redmond said. "Instead of her calling 911, she called a tow truck."
Redmond says the babysitter called someone to tow her car back to her home in Roseville. Jayla says Jeremiah was crying - and Jayla had a bruised and bloody face. You can still see her injuries.
"She got jarred around pretty bad," Redmond said. "She said the babysitter pulled a bag of frozen potatoes out and had her put that on her face and go to sleep."
Jayla used the frozen food as an icepack and the children went to bed. But in the morning Jeremiah didn't wake up.
"He should still be alive - he had a chance," Johnson said. "He was still alive after the accident took place."
Roseville police say they were called to the babysitter's home Sunday morning for an unresponsive child. They are working with another jurisdiction to determine exactly where the accident happened and waiting on autopsy results to determine how Jeremiah died.
But Redmond wants her charged with leaving the scene of an accident and child endangerment - right now.
"Nine-one-one should have been called, the tow truck driver when he arrived there, he shouldn't have moved that vehicle," Redmond said. Then my son has to die because someone that night was hiding something."
It turns out this woman has a long list of traffic offenses including accidents, drugs and alcohol. Her license was just reinstated earlier this month..
Roseville police are in the early stages of their investigation and are asking anyone with information on this case to contact them right away.
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Man falls to his death while trying to help after I-65 crash south of Lafayette
FRANKFORT, Ind. — An out-of-state good Samaritan trying to help a wrecker early Tuesday died when he fell backwards over a bridge from Interstate 65 and onto the Manson Colfax Road in Clinton County, according to Clinton County Sheriff's Office.
The sheriff's office had not released the man's identity, as of Tuesday afternoon, pending notification of his next of kin.
The man was helping to clear wreckage from the bridge, which is about four miles south of the Indiana 28/Frankfort exit and about 15 miles south of Lafayette.
The interstate was closed after a semi crashed and caught fire about 11 p.m. Monday, according to the sheriff's office.
The northbound semi hauling avocados was engulfed in fire after the crash, Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley said.
The semi driver was not injured and state police were investigating why the truck caught fire, Riley said.
The fire closed all four lanes of the interstate while firefighters extinguished the blaze, Riley said. Then one southbound lane was re-opened.
Both southbound lanes were re-opened after firefighters cleared the scene, Riley said.
About 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, the good Samaritan helped the wrecker who was trying to clear the interstate's northbound lanes, according to the Clinton County Sheriff's Office.
The barrier railings on the bridge are about two feet tall, and the man fell while walking backwards and wasn't aware of how close he was to the railing, according to the Clinton County Sheriff's Office.
The bridge is 27-feet, 7-inches above the Manson Colfax Road, according to the Clinton County Sheriff's Office.
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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.
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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.
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Canadian Hauling Company Socked With Towing Bill Of Over $18,000 In Chicago, And Not For First Time
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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.
Jimmy Dale Mitchell II
December 15, 1971 ~ August 13, 2020 (age 48)
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*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.
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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, 2020Photo: Mark Mulligan, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerTow 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.
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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.
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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."
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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.
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Healthiest Employers of Rhode Island Awards 2020 | 1,500-5,000+ EMPLOYEES
EMPLOYEE HEALTH AND WELLNESS is a unique prospect at AAA Northeast.
“One of our businesses is emergency road services,” AAA Senior Vice President of Human Resources Ronald Arigo said. “It orients us to health and safety because tow truck driver is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.”
But AAA works hard to get ahead of wellness. The company rewards employees for active participation in programs that drive healthy behavior, such as getting regular preventative screenings, and their stand-out programs Livongo for diabetes and myStrength for mental and behavioral health.
These programs aren’t only important for current employees. They are helpful in attracting new talent.
“We know benefits are of extreme importance to employees and want to make sure we are a go-to employer of choice, so we invest in world-class medicine for our employees,” Arigo said.
COVID-19 initiatives that AAA implemented include offering employees $100 to purchase sanitizer and cleaning products, an extra two weeks of “COVID-19 Sick Time,” free COVID-19-related treatment and doctor visits.
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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.
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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. -
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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.”
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.
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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.
UPDATED PRESS RELEASE from Maryland state Police
Antonio Martinez, a 38-year-old tow-truck driver, remains in critical condition.
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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.
4 Blunders That Will Ruin Your Car’s All-Wheel Drive
in Light Duty & Carrier Towing
Posted
This is one of the 4 listed in the article link below.
Having it towed with its wheels in contact with the road
When having a two-wheel drive vehicle towed by a tow truck, it’s generally okay to put the car in neutral and let the rear, non-drive wheels spin freely against the road. But if your car has all-wheel drive, you absolutely mustn’t let the wheels drag against the pavement. Always ask for a flatbed tow truck that will bring all four wheels off the pavement; never use a hook-and-chain or wheel lift tow truck. Otherwise, because all-wheel-drive systems are permanently engaged, the transmission will be wrecked.
https://thenewswheel.com/4-blunders-that-will-ruin-your-cars-all-wheel-drive/