Commission begins towing ordinance revision (WV)

[TowZone]

Tim Walker
AMR Reporter

 

At the April 6 Pocahontas County Commission meeting, commissioner John Rebinski asked that the commission begin the process of amending the County Towing Ordinance. In particular, Rebinski wants Fire or EMS personnel at the scene of a traffic accident to be allowed to contact 911 to request a tow by the company that is next on the rotation.

 

The current ordinance only allows a Law Enforcement Officer to make that request once they arrive on the scene. Rebinski said that restriction can cause delays in getting a road cleared and reopened to traffic since law enforcement’s arrival is often delayed because they are responding to a call elsewhere.

 

Under the proposed change, Fire and EMS would only be allowed to call for a tow truck if the owner has not requested that a specific company be called. This restriction eliminates the possibility of Fire or EMS personnel steering the motorist to chose a tow company that the first responder favors.

 

Rebinski provided a letter from Sheriff Jeff Barlow which supports this change, and told his fellow commissioners that he has also received approval of this proposal from Fire and EMS and from five of the six representatives on the commission’s towing committee.

 

The commission passed a motion to begin the process to change the ordinance.

 

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