TowNews

JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- One person was killed in a five-vehicle crash in Johnston County early Friday morning. According to North Carolina State Highway Patrol officers, a silver car crashed on Highway 70 around 5:45 a.m. The car blocked several lanes of Highway 70, but did not have its lights on after crashing. Two cars, a silver truck and a white tow truck tried to swerve around the car, but the tow truck hit the car, causing it to spin into the truck. A fourth car, driven by Lahoma Ruth Arthur, then hit the first car. Then, officers said a Sheetz gas tanker hit the driver-side door of Arthur's car. Arthur was killed in the crash. The driver of the first car was charged with misdemeanor death and a lane control violation. Highway patrol officers said they do not believe alcohol was a factor in the crash. Westbound lanes of Highway 70 were blocked for three hours while investigators cleared the scene. Lanes are now back open. RESOURCE LINK

Question for Owners: If your driver has a concern with transporting someone or anyone during this health event. What is your strategy, the driver must transport them or find another job. Or you understand and will make other arraignments. I have now seen where owners have said one or the other. Question for Drivers: If you are concerned with transporting someone or anyone during this health event. What is the company strategy. you must transport them or find another job. Or the company will make other arraignments. I have seen and heard from drivers that they were told they can just quit now to if they have concerns they understand and will work through this with them. Before answering keep in mind this will pass and it will be back to business as usual. Precautions should be taken, as an industry someone will be infected unless this is controlled.

PWOF Press Release: 03.14.20 Due to circumstances out of the control of the Professional Wrecker Operators of Florida. The Florida Tow Show that was scheduled to be held April 16 17th and 18th is being postponed and rescheduled for June 18th, 19th and 20th. We are sorry for any inconvenience this causes please watch for additional information in the upcoming days. Glenn Landau Again, the 2020 Florida Tow Show has been postponed to June 18, 19 & 20, 2020

Argyle Fire District: 03/13/20 E514, E511, M514 responded to a swift water rescue along with City of Denton Fire Department swift water rescue team. 1 victim was rescued without incident. Remember #TurnAroundDontDrown No Further Details at this time.

One killed in traffic collision near Whitewater amid wet conditions on Interstate 10 A man waiting near a tow truck on Interstate 10 near Whitewater Road died Thursday afternoon after being struck by a vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol. Yucca Valley resident Gilberto Avila, 40, died at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs after he was struck around 3 p.m. The incident started around 2 p.m. when a CHP officer responded to a call of two solo traffic collisions on eastbound I-10 east of Whitewater Road. After responding, the officer called for a tow truck to recover a Toyota Prius. Later, Avila stood on the right shoulder of the freeway near a tow truck when a Chrysler Sebring, driven by 35-year-old Aaron Oliver of Avondale, Ariz., approached the scene, the CHP said. The initial investigation, according to the CHP, shows the Sebring was "traveling at an unsafe speed" for the road and weather conditions. Oliver's vehicle lost traction and veered onto the right shoulder and struck the tow truck followed by Avila. Avila initially sustained major injuries and later died. Oliver and his passengers all suffered minor injuries and were also taken to the hospital, the CHP said. Alcohol and drugs were ruled out as factors in the cause of the collision, according to the CHP. The collision remains under investigation. RESOURCE LINK

Slow Down, Move Over campaign to hit Calgary roads Wednesday evening Emergency service vehicles will be parked in solidarity alongside Stoney Trail and 114 Avenue S.E. in Calgary on Wednesday evening, reminding drivers to slow down and move over when they see those familiar flashing lights. The Slow Down, Move Over campaign will take place between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. The initiative aims to draw more attention to road safety following the death of a tow truck driver in 2017, who was struck and killed by a passing vehicle near Esterhazy, Sask. “Tow truck drivers and emergency workers deserve safe working conditions while they work to make sure that if you ever find yourself in trouble on the road, the right supports are made available to you.” Derrek Spencer, a manager with City Wide Towing, said all roadside workers encounter dangers that put their lives at risk. He hopes this campaign serves as an important safety reminder to all drivers. “The purpose of Slow Down, Move Over is to raise awareness for the safety of all roadside workers, including tow trucks, EMS, fire, police and highway [or] road maintenance,” Spencer said. The campaign also works to remind drivers of the law surrounding passing emergency vehicles: a driver must reduce speed to 60 kilometres per hour or the posted speed — whichever is lower — in the lane next to a stopped vehicle. Resource Link

Tow truck drivers and first responders team up to raise awareness Emergency crews and tow truck operators have a reminder for Calgary drivers — slow down and move over when you see flashing lights. The city's annual road safety event featured a demonstration on Wednesday with a contingent of emergency services vehicles parked in both directions alongside Stoney Trail and 114th Avenue S.E. "Everyone's got a family to go home to at the end of the day and we're just out here trying to make a living, trying to keep people safe and keep the roadways clear of traffic," said Derrek Spencer, a safety officer with City Wide Towing. "You know, we just ask that people slow down, pay attention and move over when possible when they see flashing lights, whether it's blues, reds or ambers." Motorists are required to reduce their speed to 60 km/h or go the posted speed, whichever is lower, when passing emergency vehicles or tow trucks that are stopped with their lights flashing. The law applies to the lane immediately next to the stopped vehicles. The fine for speeding in these areas is doubled. Alberta law also requires drivers to yield the right-of-way when an ambulance, fire or police vehicle is approaching from any direction and is sounding a siren. Spencer said collisions involving tow trucks are on the rise. "Roadways become temporary offices for first responders and tow operators. Paramedics ask motorists to be attentive and give us room to work, while we care for the sick and injured," EMS spokesperson Adam Loria said. RESOURCE LINK

Man killed in West Lawn hit-and-run crash: police The 59-year-old’s Chevrolet Malibu crashed into a pole after his car was hit by a tow truck. A man was killed in a crash Wednesday in West Lawn on the Southwest Side, police said. He was driving a blue Chevrolet Malibu west about 1:30 p.m. in the 4500 block of West 63rd Street when a tow truck ran several red lights and struck the car, Chicago police said. The 59-year-old lost control of the Mailbu and crashed into a pole, police said. He was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead. The truck sped off from the crash, police said. CPD’s Major Accidents Unit is investigating. The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details on the death. RESOURCE LINK

Bozeman police are investigating a shot fired at a tow truck Sunday afternoon near Montana State University. Bozeman Police Sgt. Travis Munter said officers responded to the Hawks Ridge apartment complex in the 1700 block of West Kagy Boulevard at 2:46 p.m. after a tow truck driver reported hearing a gunshot fired and impact to the truck. Munter said the driver pulled into the complex to tow someone illegally parked. “They didn’t report that they saw anyone with a gun. They heard a shot, and heard impact with their truck,” Munter said. No one was injured in the incident. When officers got there, he said, there was damage on the truck that was “consistent with some sort of shot.” “It looks like some sort of projectile contacted the truck, but it didn’t penetrate fully through the metal on the truck,” Munter said. A handful of people were questioned, but Munter said no one has been charged. He said police closed off the road on Sunday to make sure everyone was safe and to figure out if the shot came from an apartment there. He said the incident appeared to be directed at the tow truck company, and it didn’t appear there was any further or ongoing threat. RESOURCE LINK

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Police in Munhall arrested a man after he led them on a chase onto the parkway in a tow truck. According to the criminal complaint, Michael Kiselka was towing a car without his caution lights on along 8th Avenue in Munhall when police pulled him over. Kiselka did pull off the road but the sped up and continued to travel along 8th Avenue. From there, police chased Kiselka up Brownshill Road to the intersection of Hazelwood Avenue. During the chase, Kiselka ran red lights, swerved into oncoming traffic, and passed vehicles in oncoming lanes. The chase eventually led to the Parkway East where he drove around traffic on the ramp and onto the Parkway East. Just before he reached the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, police were able to stop him and attempted to remove him from the truck. He resisted, fighting officers in an attempt to escape. He was taken into custody and it was found his license had been suspended for charges related to driving under the influence. Police also learned the truck actually belonged to someone in West Virginia but was bearing Ohio plates. A search of truck found marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a switchblade. Kiselka is facing several charges including resisting arrest, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and attempting to elude police. RESOURCE LINK

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5)-- A tow truck driver made it out alive after police say a suspected impaired driver hit him and ran him over. The victim told Arizona's Family that it happened on Cave Creek Road near Mountain View Road as he was unloading cars for a dealership in between the solid yellow lines in the middle of the street. The victim, who did not want to be identified, told Arizona's Family that he had done it a million times, but this time a suspected impaired driver hit him and ran him over. He's dealing with a long list of injuries, including broken ribs, broken vertebrae, a fractured arm, and a broken jaw. Doctors had to wire his jaw shut, and they also put four plates in his face. The crash happened on the same day an ADOT worker was killed on the job. Now, the victim and his family have a message for drivers who pass by people working on the road. RESOURCE LINK with video

The bus had no one on board when it rolled away from a tow truck 20 metres downhill into power pole TransLink says it's investigating what caused a broken down bus to roll away from a tow truck down a hill in Burnaby before crashing into a power pole on Saturday. The Coast Mountain Company bus had a mechanical issue around 10:00 a.m. PT at Gilmore Avenue and Kitchener Street. A repair crew brought in a tow truck to haul the bus away for repairs, but during that, the bus unexpectedly rolled downhill more than 20 metres, crashed into a hydro pole and came to a stop in part of the front yard of a house. No one was onboard the bus when it rolled away and there were no injuries according to police at the scene. The road was closed for several hours as crews removed the bus. Power was also cut to some houses in the area. TransLink says it is working with authorities and the tow truck contractor to figure out what happened. RESOURCE LINK

Press Release from Pantusa Towing & Recovery (San Antonio, Texas): We are so excited to introduce our new heavy duty driver, Michelle Ramirez. Michelle started off as a light duty operator and quickly moved into medium duty towing. She took every opportunity to learn the heavy duty side and we couldn’t be more proud to have her move into our 2020 Peterbilt 389. She is one of few female HD towing operators in the country.

Another violent incident involving tow trucks in Richmond Hill has police seeking witnesses. Shots were fired at a tow truck in the parking lot of a grocery store located in the High Tech Road and Bayview Avenue area March 2 at around 7 p.m. Police investigators believe multiple tow trucks were in the parking lot when an occupant in one of them fired several shots at a black tow truck. Police say people involved in the shooting fled the area. Police said shortly after officers arrived on scene, one of the tow trucks involved returned to the scene with several bullet holes. Police located several shell casings in the parking lot. The driver was not injured. The encounter appears to be the latest in an escalating series of violent incidents in what has been described as a tow truck turf war. Officers are asking any witnesses who may have been in the area at the time and have not yet spoken to police to come forward. Investigators are also seeking any video surveillance from the area or anyone that may have captured dash cam video on the roadways in the area of any of the incidents. Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police No. 2 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7241, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS, or by leaving an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com. RESOURCE LINK

Justice of the peace rules that regional bylaw ‘inconsistent’ with provincial law WATERLOO REGION — Any car crash is an emergency and a tow-truck operator arriving at the scene before police or paramedics should be considered emergency personnel. That was a recent ruling by Justice of the Peace James Ziegler in a case where a local tow-truck operator was charged for contravening the Region of Waterloo bylaw and being within 200 metres of a crash site. Ziegler said the province under the Highway Traffic Act recognizes that tow-truck operators can assist in emergencies. "There are remote locations even in Waterloo Region where the first responder to an accident could be a tow truck operator," Ziegler wrote in the ruling. And under the traffic act, tow-truck operators can be closer than 200 metres when there isn't another at the scene. "In my opinion if a tow truck was first on a scene this could assist the preservation of the scene and safety of the affected parties particularly until the police and other emergency services arrived," he said. The ruling stems from a case in which a tow-truck driver with Able Regional Towing and Recovery of Kitchener was within 200 metres of an accident and offered services to a woman involved in a crash on Bleams Road on Sept. 18, 2018. Court was told the woman rear-ended another vehicle. The woman said the tow-truck driver arrived about 15 minutes after the collision, but she declined his offer for help because she was waiting on her brother. Waterloo Regional Police arrived an hour after the crash. At that time, there were two tow-truck drivers on Bleams Road. The Able driver was parked behind a fire truck. An officer charged him for contravening the regional bylaw. In his ruling on Jan. 30, Ziegler said the regional bylaw is "inconsistent or conflicts" with the Highway Traffic Act. Ziegler dismissed the charges against the tow-truck driver. "The permission to tow truck operators to offer service in emergencies is paramount province wide and is binding on the region," he said. In 2017, the region created a bylaw that prohibits tow-truck drivers to be within 200 metres of an accident scene unless called by police or the drivers involved in the crash. The bylaw was put in place to address the safety of emergency personnel at the scene of the crash who are tending to victims. Police said it was not uncommon to see numerous tow-truck drivers show up at a crash all vying for business. Regional director Kris Fletcher said the region is reviewing the court decision and considering options. "At this time no decisions have been made on next steps," she said. Police say they will continue to enforce the regional bylaw which requires tow-truck drivers to keep their distance unless called to the scene by police or a person involved in the crash. "The bylaw is still in place as an enforceable piece of legislation, and as such, charges still apply until the legislation changes," said Const. Andre Johnson. RESOURCE LINK

After watching this video, you might just say "Yeah, I Can See That" and while it may not have been an action most would have taken. Many a Tow Operator and even more so a Tow Company Owner would want to go after a vehicle that struck the tow truck. The method this owners chose can be debated over and over. But, the video does provide an explanation and no one in the industry know what their reaction is going to be in the heat of the moment.

Teen Vandals Break Into San Jacinto Tow Yard, Cause Thousands In Damages Police worked to round up a group of teenagers Monday who broke into a tow yard in San Jacinto and vandalized vehicles causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage. RESOURCE LINK with video

Tow truck driver hit on I-81 breaks neck, has ‘really long road to recovery ahead of him’ 26-year-old Tennessee man charged with reckless driving CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – Virginia State Police Senior Trooper Roger Alley is back at work after being involved in a scary incident this weekend. Alley and tow truck driver Eugene Alls, 31, were working an accident on Interstate 81 in Christiansburg on Saturday morning when a driver who was going too fast for the snowy roads failed to move over and hit them both. Police charged that driver, Jean Luc Fortner, 26, of Lebanon, Tennessee, with reckless driving. "What I remember most was the rear window shattering and the front side and back side window shattering as well," Alley said. Alley is okay, but Alls, who was standing beside the trooper’s car, was pinned between the car and the wall. "I heard Eugene say, ‘Trooper, I’m hurt,’” recalled Alley. "I don't think it's really set in how close he came to losing his life," said Eugene’s boss Shawn Lowry, who owns S&A Towing. Lowry said Eugene is still in the hospital recovering from surgery for a broken neck, among other injuries. "He's going to have a really long road to recovery ahead of him," Lowry said. He will be out of work for at least a few months, but he’s lucky to be alive. "Any time you're working on the interstate, you're risking your life," Lowry said. "It's part of the job. I know that's a coined phrase but it's, that's what we are paid to unfortunately endure at times," Alley said. This accident is just another example of the life-threatening consequences of not moving over. "Anything with flashing lights on it, it's the law, move over and give us room to work," Lowry said. "It's a simple message," Alley said. The driver and three passengers in the car that caused the accident were also taken to the hospital. RESOURCE LINK

A tow truck fire was quickly extinguished late Saturday night in southeast Scarborough. Around 11 p.m. last night, a call came in for a vehicle on fire near Military Trail and Cindy Nicholas Drive. Toronto Fire was dispatched the scene and quickly put out the small fire. According to District Chief Stephan Powell, the incident happened in the driveway of a home at 59 Lampman Dr. The fire was contained to the vehicle, he noted. “There were no secondary exposures,” he said, adding Toronto police were already at the scene when firefighters got there. “It was a two-truck situation for us. (The tow truck) was fully involved when we arrived.” Toronto police Const. Alex Li said they are investigating. “There is a tow truck feud, but we don’t know if this is in relation (to that),” he told toronto.com. RESOURCE LINK

https://abc7ny.com/5978611/ 4-Alarm Blaze Rips Through Elizabeth Truck Center A firefighter suffered minor injuries battling a four-alarm fire that tore through a truck center in Elizabeth Sunday night. Several small explosions were contained to flammable repair liquids inside of the North Avenue structure, with flames and smoke visible from nearby Newark Airport. No one was in the building when the blaze broke out around 11 p.m., and could have been burning undetected for part of the day Sunday, officials said. RESOURCE LINK

Trooper, tow driver injured after oncoming car hits State Police vehicle working previous accident in Christiansburg CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (WDBJ7)-- A Virginia State trooper and tow truck driver were both taken to the hospital Saturday after an SUV hit a State Police car that was stopped at the scene of an earlier accident. According to Virginia State Police, one of their troopers responded to a two-vehicle accident along I-81S in Christiansburg at around 7:30 Saturday morning near mile marker 118.3. A driver from S & A Towing in Christiansburg was sent to the scene, and at one point, began talking to the trooper near his car on the side of I-81. A gold SUV in oncoming traffic lost control due to what State Police believes was speed and slick roadway conditions, and hit the trooper's car. The impact of the crash injured both the trooper and tow driver. The trooper has since been released, while the S & A employee was still being treated for injuries that are non-life threatening at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. One adult and three minors were in the SUV at the time. The woman driving the vehicle and all passengers were also taken to the hospital to get treatment for injuries, according to VSP. The case remains open. No arrests have been filed. State Police asks all drivers to use caution and obey the "Move Over Law." A goal of the law is for "drivers to yield right-of-way or reduce speed when approaching stationary vehicles displaying certain warning lights on highways." More information about the "Move Over Law" can be found by clicking here. RESOURCE LINK

Tow truck operator struck by vehicle while helping motorist in Vaughan A tow truck operator was struck by a vehicle Feb. 27 while helping a motorist in Vaughan. York Regional Police is currently on scene in the area of Kirby and King Vaughan roads due to the pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. The tow truck operator, a man, has been taken to hospital with "unknown injuries", Duty Insp. Dave Richer said. "I’m not sure whether the motorist he was assisting was stranded or in a collision," Richer said. RESOURCE LINK

A towing company’s owner hired Anthony Jackson to wash his trucks, deputy said. He’s accused of doing a lot more than washing them. Anthony Jackson was hired to wash and detail tow trucks. Some of what he did to, in or with those trucks instead, according to Hernando County Sheriff’s deputies: got pulled over for illegally driving one; locked the owner out of one when the owner tried to retrieve it; smashed one into the owner’s vehicle; and planned to hold one for ransom. Jackson, 24, of Spring Hill, faces burglary and grand theft auto charges. Tyreece Germe, 23, whom deputies identified as one of Jackson’s accomplices in the tow truck misadventures, also faces a grand theft auto charge. The victim, the owner of a tow truck company in Citrus County, hired Jackson in early February, deputies said. When Jackson took too long to do the work, the owner fired him and told him to return the truck he was working on. After some resistance, deputies said, Jackson agreed to meet the owner on Thursday to hand off the truck. But on his way there, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper stopped Jackson because he lacked the proper license to drive the truck. The trooper told Jackson to leave it parked on U.S. 19 in Spring Hill with the keys inside so the owner could retrieve it. When the owner arrived, though, the truck was locked. Driving drove back to Citrus County, the saw another one of their tow trucks. Deputies said Jackson and two other men were inside it. The owner chased the truck down U.S. 19 until both stopped at a red light, deputies said. Then the tow truck reversed into the owner’s vehicle, smashing it into uselessness. The tow truck fled the scene. Deputies tracked down Jackson and Germe when they returned to the first truck, the one the owner had been locked out of. Both said they thought they had permission to take that truck, deputies said. But Jackson admitted to stealing the other tow truck, along with Germe and a man identified only as Chris. He told deputies that the trucks’ owner owed Chris money, so the men plotted to hold the truck for ransom, deputies said. Deputies haven’t found Chris yet, they said Thursday. But the owner got the trucks back. RESOURCE LINK

INDYCAR and its AMR INDYCAR Safety Team are an industry leader in motorsports safety and has been instrumental in revolutionizing the sport. Under the supervision of Dr. Geoffrey Billows, INDYCAR’s director of medical services, and Tim Baughman, INDYCAR’s director of track safety operations, the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team continually evaluates the latest equipment and its on-track procedures and protocols. The AMR INDYCAR Safety Team consists of approximately 30 safety personnel with a minimum of 18 attending each event – a trauma physician, an orthopedic physician, two paramedics, 12 firefighters/EMTs and two registered nurses. Team personnel have an average of 20 years of experience in their respective fields. “About 75 percent of our team is comprised of civil servants who are officers in their departments, such as captains, lieutenants or fire chief, which means they have vast amounts of experience managing people and managing ground scenes and incident command,” Baughman said. “Many have bachelor’s degrees in fire science and we also have people who have gone beyond the scope of their local fire departments by being involved with disaster task force teams.” The team travels with four safety vehicles equipped with the most sophisticated Holmatro rescue equipment and state-of-the-art technology, including a 360-degree video camera in the windshield of each vehicle that provides real-time video via mobile network to AMR INDYCAR Safety Team members and race control. The AMR INDYCAR Safety Team works in conjunction with and coordinates the safety personnel staffing at each venue, including firefighters, ambulance and tow-truck providers and track maintenance crews. DR. GEOFFREY BILLOWS Geoffrey Billows, M.D., has been a member of the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team since 1998 and has served as director of medical services for Indianapolis Motor Speedway since November 2006. Dr. Billows is an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Dr. Billows completed his residency in emergency medicine at IU Health Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. Before attending medical school, Dr. Billows was a firefighter/paramedic for 13 years with the city of Fairborn, Ohio. DR. TERRY TRAMMELL Terry Trammell, M.D., serves as a safety consultant to INDYCAR and is a longtime member of the INDYCAR Safety Team. Dr. Trammell has been active in providing trackside medical care since 1973, including serving as orthopedic consultant to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and director of medical services for CART. He is a founding member of the International Council of Motorsports Science and a founding fellow of the FIA Institute for Motorsport Safety. Dr. Trammell is a sought-after lecturer on spinal injuries and conditions, and has authored numerous articles published in professional journals. RESOURCE LINK

NO DETAILS AT THIS TIME.