TowForce

Since the news did not show a tow truck I wondered who represented the towing industry at the event.

Philadelphia police towing abandoned vehicles to clean up streets, open more parking

AUSTIN While millions of Texans commute to work on highways every week, they pass inches away from the worksites for thousands of law enforcement personnel, first responders and road maintenance crews. Unfortunately, many of them are killed in crashes every year on the job, which is why TxDOT is calling on Texas drivers to keep roadside workers safe by remembering to “Move Over or Slow Down.” The state’s Move Over or Slow Down law requires drivers to move over — putting a lane between them and roadside workers — or reduce their speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit when passing law enforcement, tow trucks, utility vehicles, emergency responders and TxDOT vehicles stopped with activated overhead lights on the side of the road. Changes to the law went into effect on Sept. 1, 2023, and impose heftier penalties for violations, including fines of up to $1,250 for a first offense. Stricter penalties for drivers who cause serious injuries by failing to follow these rules now include possible jail time and a fine of up to $4,000. Every year, law enforcement officers, tow truck drivers and other roadside workers do essential work protecting and maintaining our roads, but some are hit, injured or killed while serving our community. TxDOT’s “Be Safe. Drive Smart” public awareness campaign asks all drivers to respect these workers who are vital to keeping our roads clear and safe. The Move Over or Slow Down law requires drivers to: Be on alert and pay attention when approaching roadside law enforcement, emergency vehicles, tow trucks, utility vehicles and TxDOT vehicles with flashing lights on. When possible, move out of the lane closest to these vehicles. Slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit if safely switching lanes is not possible or the road doesn’t offer multiple lanes. Reduce speed to 5 mph on roadways with posted speed limits of 25 mph or less. The state’s Move Over or Slow Down law was first passed in 2003 and applied to law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services vehicles. The Texas Legislature has since extended the law’s protections to include TxDOT vehicles, tow trucks and utility service vehicles. Be Safe. Drive Smart. is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safer choices while behind the wheel to help end the streak of daily deaths. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways. RESOURCE LINK

Clemson police looking for driver who hit tow truck worker, drove off CLEMSON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Clemson Police Department is asking the public’s help in identifying a driver involved in a hit and run. The department said the crash took place on Wednesday, April 17 at around 9 p.m. on Old Greenville Highway. Police said they were working another crash and diverting traffic into the center turn lane to go around the scene when the vehicle hit one of the tow truck workers. The worker was knocked to the ground and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. “We believe the driver was looking at the crash scene and not paying attention to what was in front of them,” officials said. Officials said the driver continued northbound towards Central without stopping. RESOURCE LINK

Tow truck driver 'blessed' to be alive after being hit by a car on Loop 101 PHOENIX - Ramon Garcia's life flashed before his eyes on April 18. That's when the AAA tow truck driver was rushed to the hospital after being struck by a car on Loop 101 while trying to load a vehicle onto his flatbed. "I just went numb. I couldn't feel my legs. I didn't know what to expect.," his wife Yolanda Garcia told FOX 10. "I got the call from the paramedics. Even showing up to the hospital, the paramedics said, ‘we don’t know how he is alive.'" Ramon said he could hear the AAA member screaming for him to watch out for an incoming car near Loop 101 and 27th Avenue, but it was too late. A distracted driver crashed into the left side of his body. "I was scared and as I kind of recuperated a little bit, I did get angry," Garcia said. "I'm not going to lie because I saw my leg and said, ‘I’m done,' you know? I thought it was over for me." Garcia, a tow truck driver for 27 years, managed to pull his body onto the bed of his tow truck when he realized his left leg suffered the most damage. At the hospital, Garcia discovered he had six broken bones from his knee to his foot. He went into surgery that night. "(We're) beyond blessed that it's just his leg," Yolanda said. Garcia has a message for distracted drivers: "We have all our flashing lights, everything, you know, at the end of the day we all want to get home," Garcia said. What are the next steps in Garcia's recovery? It is going to be a long road ahead for Garcia. His days going forward will be filled with appointments and therapy. He is forced to put a pause on the job that has supported his family for the last 27 years. "I'm beyond blessed to be here," Garcia said. A fundraiser will be held for him on Saturday beginning at 6:30 p.m. on 1301 W. Watkins Street in Phoenix. RESOURCE LINK

Monterey Woman Faces Felony Charges After Stolen Tow Truck Chase, Assault at Redwood City Gym Laura Kettell, a 35-year-old woman from Monterey, was arrested after allegedly stealing a tow truck and leading police on a dangerous chase that included a confrontation at a Planet Fitness in Redwood City. The Redwood City Police Department reported that on April 19th, at approximately 6:03 pm, officers responded to a call from Enterprise Rent-a-Car about the theft, setting off a series of events that culminated in Kettell's arrest and multiple felony charges. After locating the stolen vehicle unattended at a Jack in the Box in San Carlos, the responding officer's vehicles were rammed by Kettell as she re-entered the tow truck. One of the police vehicles was shoved across the parking lot, with the officer narrowly avoiding severe injury. A chase ensued when the tow truck failed to yield, reaching speeds of 80-90 mph on southbound Highway 101 before law enforcement called off the pursuit due to an altercation involving another motorist and the suspected tow truck. CHP took over shortly after, but the cat-and-mouse game continued as they located the tow truck with help from a GPS tracker. A collision occurred when Kettell abruptly braked, and a CHP unit struck the tow truck. Kettell then allegedly burglarized a home on Silver Hill Rd in Redwood City before the pursuit picked up again. The Sheriff’s Office and other agencies joined to support, but the chase was eventually terminated thanks to the tracker providing real-time updates of Kettell’s location. Kettell finally ditched the tow truck and proceeded to assault an employee, identified as her boyfriend, inside Planet Fitness on Walnut Street. Police officers converged on the scene and, after a resisted attempt to detain her, deployed a canine partner that bit Kettell on her hip, which led to her eventual surrender. Kettell received treatment for her injuries before being booked on numerous charges, including felony assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle theft, and burglary. An RCPD officer sustained injuries during the initial vehicle assault and was treated at a local hospital but has since been released. RESOURCE LINK

With the number of cars being towed on the rise, we look at what happens when a beloved pup is still inside the offending vehicle. It is expensive, inconvenient and downright frustrating when your car gets towed. And yet the number of cars getting towed across Australia is on the up: according to The Age, in Melbourne alone, the number of cars towed in 2023 increased by 782 compared with 2022. While it’s bad enough to have your daily driver taken away, it could be even worse if there’s precious cargo in the back. To find out whether a car can be towed with a dog, animal or pet inside, we spoke to the road authorities around Australia. Can you tow a car with a dog in it? There is no hard and fast rule as to whether a car can be towed with a dog in it – but it’s certainly possible. According to different road authorities across Australia, the decision comes down to the towing company and the individual circumstances involved. In New South Wales, for example, if an illegally parked vehicle has an animal inside, the driver of the tow vehicle will immediately call the Transport Management Centre (TMC). The TMC will then work with New South Wales Police to establish contact with the vehicle owner. If contact cannot be made, the vehicle will either be towed with the animal still inside or the police will come to remove the animal before towing. In Queensland, a Transport and Main Roads spokesperson told Drive: “It may be down to individual contracts with towing companies by different organisations responsible for towing (councils or so on) or a judgement call by the towing provider”. What about if a car breaks down and the driver has their dog with them? Again, it is up to the individual tow truck company to decide whether the dog can be transported. If it’s the company’s policy that animals are not allowed in the tow truck cabin, then the driver’s consent is required to tow the vehicle with the animal in the car. Otherwise, the driver will have to find an alternative method of transporting their pet away from the scene. How much does it cost when your car gets towed? The final cost of getting a vehicle towed will vary based on different councils and towing companies. The location, size of the vehicle and time of day may also impact the total amount. Then there are administrative fees: you may also receive a parking fine, a vehicle release fee, a company administration fee… the list goes on. So whatever the initial tow-away cost is, expect to see that number increase as additional fees are applied. The initial towing fee varies between states and territories. For example, New South Wales fees start at $229. In Victoria, the initial tow-away fee is $361, and in Queensland the fee is $405.30 for the first 50 kilometres, then $8.05 for every kilometre after that. Is it illegal to leave a dog in the car? It may feel unethical to leave a pet unattended in a car for a long period of time, but in most states and territories across Australia, it is not illegal until the animal begins showing signs of distress. Of course, it is always illegal to leave a dog in the boot of a sedan-type car. Each state and territory has its own penalties and rules in place when it comes to animals in cars. Victoria is the only state that stipulates a specific time an animal can be left unattended in a car. The state’s Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (POCTA) Act states: "It is illegal to leave an animal unattended inside a car for more than 10 minutes when outside temperatures are at or above 28 degrees Celsius". If you’re found guilty of such an offence, the penalty is roughly a $40,000 fine or 12 months in prison if an animal is discovered in distress; double that fine and jail time if the animal is found dead. For example, in New South Wales, the owner can receive a fine of $5500 and a six-month jail sentence. In the upsetting instance of a dog dying as a consequence of being left unattended, owners can be charged $22,500 and spend up to two years in jail. In South Australia, owners face a $50,000 fine or four years in prison. In Western Australia, increase that jail term to five years. RESOURCE LINK

ADEL, Ga. — A Florida man is accused of shooting at a deputy on Thursday after a dispute over towing on a South Georgia interstate escalated, authorities said. According to a news release from the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Rafael Rodriguez Morey, 29, of Citrus Springs, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers. At about 3:24 a.m. EDT, the sheriff’s office received reports of a man in the roadway near the mile 50 marker on Interstate 75, WALB-TV reported. Deputies arriving at the scene encountered Morey behind the wheel of his Chevrolet Equinox, and the sheriff’s office said he was “uncooperative.” Morey’s vehicle was out of gas and his battery was drained, so a tow truck was dispatched to the area, The Moultrie Observer reported. According to the sheriff’s office, Morey allegedly refused to leave his vehicle, so he and his SUV were towed to a Circle K gas station in Adel near Exit 39. The towing company added gas to the vehicle and Morey cooperated in getting the vehicle jump started, the sheriff’s office. But when presented with the bill, Morey allegedly refused to settle it despite several options. Morey then reportedly attempted to drive his vehicle off the tow truck while it was still secured on the service vehicle. Deputies and officers from the Adel Police Department arrived to assist, but Morey allegedly “became increasingly uncooperative and now combative,” the sheriff’s office said. The suspect locked the door of his SUV and rolled up his windows. When officers forced their way into the vehicle, Morey allegedly produced a handgun and fired at the officers, the Observer reported. One bullet passed through the pants leg of a deputy without hitting him, the sheriff’s office said. He was not injured. Deputies said that Morey then put up his hands and dropped his pistol. He was arrested following a “brief struggle” and after a stun gun was used on him, WALB reported. Morey then put his hands up, dropped his pistol and was arrested following a “brief struggle” and a taser being used by law enforcement. An off-duty police officer from Florida assisted in taking the suspect into custody, according to the Observer. “Words cannot describe how thankful I am that no one was injured in this incident this morning,” Sheriff Doug Hanks said in a statement. “All the law enforcement on scene used their training, knowledge, and abilities perfectly to diffuse the situation and preserve the life of everyone, including the offender. I could not be prouder of the work they did this morning.” RESOURCE LINK