TX Tow Truck Driver Tows Car with Sleeping Boy

Here's the most fair and comprehensive story I've found on this. It's from The Dallas Morning News.

By STEVE THOMPSON / The Dallas Morning News
stevethompson@dallasnews.com / The Dallas Morning News
Tanya Eiserer contributed to this report.

Melissa Jio left her 7-year-old son in the car for just a minute as she ran upstairs to her apartment Monday night, she said. He was splayed across the back seat asleep.

As she descended the stairs, she realized her silver four-door Saturn was no longer there.

"My baby is gone! I've lost my baby!" she screamed, thinking a thief had stolen the car with her son in it.

But it wasn't stolen; it had been towed.

A few minutes later – as police were investigating what they thought could be a kidnapping and as Ms. Jio remained in hysterics – another strange thing happened. The tow truck driver returned to the parking lot with the car and the still-sleeping boy, unhooked his load in a hurry and sped away.

Police soon stopped the driver, 23-year-old Fidel Retana Jr., and arrested him on a charge of abandoning/endangering a child without the intent to return. He was booked into the Dallas County Jail on $100,000 bail.

But Tuesday, police officials said they expected to drop the charge.

"It appeared that he did not intend to take the child," Dallas police Sgt. Brenda Nichols said.

The episode began after Ms. Jio and the boy's father, Sergio Zuniga, had been at the hospital with Sergio Jr. on Monday evening to get a deep splinter removed from his finger, they said.

About 11 p.m., as it became clear it would be a long wait, they drove to the apartment at 4599 W. Davis St. to drop off Mr. Zuniga. Mother and son planned to return to the hospital.

Mr. Zuniga said they parked in the fire lane, and Ms. Jio came upstairs for a moment to unlock the door. That's when the car disappeared.

"I'm thinking, 'They've killed my son,' " he said.

They called 911 about 11:17 p.m. and ran toward the apartment complex's gated exit, where someone told them they saw a tow truck leaving with a car. A police officer arrived to find Ms. Jio on her hands and knees, crying and vomiting.

Then, at 11:22 p.m., as the parents and a police officer gathered just inside the complex's gate, Mr. Retana returned and stopped outside the gate.

They watched as he quickly unhooked the car, "abandoning the vehicle in the middle of the parking lot without regards for the safety" of the boy, a police report says.

When an officer got to the car, he found the boy inside – still asleep.

Officers pulled over Mr. Retana nearby on Chalk Hill Road.

Mr. Zuniga blamed Mr. Retana on Tuesday for leaving with the car so quickly, without checking it out well enough to know a boy was inside.

"I hate the way towing people run the business," he said.

Mr. Retana declined an interview request from the jail, but his attorney said he was only doing what tow truck drivers always do to look out for their own safety.

"It's a dangerous occupation," attorney David Traylor said. "Every interest of the tow truck driver is to get out of there quickly so you don't get shot or beaten up."

His client noticed the boy only when he stopped around the corner to ensure that he'd hooked up everything properly, Mr. Traylor said. Then he immediately dropped the car back off. He left again in a hurry because he knew the parents were there and were probably angry, the attorney said.

"He tried to do everything he could to get the kid back quickly," Mr. Traylor said. "I think it was possibly a bad decision to arrest him for a charge that didn't fit."

Killed CA Tow Truck Driver Identified

From the Sacramento Bee:

A Bakersfield man who was killed Friday in Newcastle when a big rig drifted onto the shoulder of eastbound Interstate 80 and crashed into him and his parked tow truck has been identified as Miguel Angel Ramos, 42, the California Highway Patrol reported Monday.

CHP Officer Kelly Baraga said Ramos had stopped on the shoulder shortly before 3 p.m. because his truck, which was not towing a vehicle, developed engine trouble.

Ramos was inspecting the engine when the big rig, carrying a load of prunes, struck him, Baraga said.

HI Non-consent Towing Fees May Increase

HI tow truck companies who tow illegally-parked vehicles are urging lawmakers to reinstate two fees that were taken away with a 2007 law.

One is a $50 release-on-location fee and the other is a $15 "overtime" fee when tows are done between 6p.m. and 6 a.m., and on weekends and holidays.

The 2007 legislation increased towing fees to $75 from $65 and increased the mileage rates from $6.50 to $7.50 per mile.

The State Office of Consumer Protection is against the move. Read the full story here.

Body of Missing OR Tow Truck Operator Found

Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of Dario Rolon-Centeno. The 61-year old North Portland, OR tow truck operator went missing on March 27 after leaving for a routine call. His body was found by a hiker on Saturday afternoon in a park and identified on Sunday. An autopsy ruled out homicidal violence, but the cause of death is still unknown. Rolon-Centeno did have a serious heart condition and his medication was found in his truck. Read the full story here.

CA Tow Truck Driver Killed

Sad news out of CA... Here's an excerpt from The Sacramento Bee. Read the rest here.

The tow truck, which was not towing a vehicle, had pulled to the shoulder between the Newcastle exit and the turnoff for Highway 193 about 3 p.m., said CHP Officer Kelly Baraga.

The driver, a 42-year-old Bakersfield man whose name was withheld pending notification of relatives, was outside his vehicle when the big rig drifted onto the shoulder, striking him and his truck, she said. Milca Aguilera, 23, of Sylmar, who was standing with him, was taken to Sutter Roseville Medical Center as a precaution, Baraga said.

Good to read!

John Bryan, a FL business owner, is recovering well after a February incident when he was hit by a passing motorist while he was providing towing service at a crash scene. Read his story here.

Attention VA Towing & Recovery Operators

If you missed the April issue of Footnotes, you probably also missed the inserted contact card from the Board of Towing and Recovery Operators. Here's what it looked like:

It is not a license application or a registration card. The information will be used to notify you of "requirements necessary for compliance with licensure requirements" that will go into effect on January 1, 2009.

Also, here's a little note of warning: "Failure to receive notification from the Board does not exempt businesses from licensure requirements. Towing and Recovery Operators not properly licensed on January 1, 2009 will be subject to disciplinary action by the Commonwealth of Virginia."

If you need contact cards, or if you have questions or concerns, contact the Board's Executive Director Benjamin Foster by phone at 804-367-0714 or by email to BTRO@btro.virginia.gov.

Kudos to WI Senator Bob Jauch

In a letter to The Daily Telegram, Jauch notes that he has sponsored a new bill to incorporate Move Over Law education in accredited driving programs. The excerpt is below. Read the whole letter here.

As of December 2001, a new law in Wisconsin requires motorists to shift lanes, where possible, to give stopped emergency vehicles or tow trucks a safe zone in which to work. Another component of this law is that drivers are required to slow down and use caution when approaching the stopped vehicle if there is only one lane of traffic in which to travel. The penalties for violating this law include a suspended driver’s license and fines up to $300.

To increase driver understanding of the law, a bill that I co-sponsored this session adds a requirement to all accredited driver’s education programs. Driver’s education programs must now include instruction relating to passing stopped emergency vehicles, tow trucks and highway machinery equipment. This legislation passed both houses and became law this winter. It is our responsibility as driving citizens to watch out for the safety of those providing services close to highway traffic.

11-year old S. African Boy Killed by Tow Truck

From a News24.com report from Green Point, South Africa:

Johannesburg - An 11-year-old boy was killed when he fell off the back of a heavy-duty tow truck in Muldersdrift on Wednesday, paramedics said.

Netcare 911 spokesperson Mark Stokoe said the boy fell under the wheels and was killed instantly.

"The truck was travelling on a sand road which was in fairly good condition. It is not known exactly how or why the boy fell."

The tow truck driver was the boy's father, said Stokoe.

IL County Establishes Illegally-Parked Towing Regulations

As of September 1, companies that tow illegally-parked vehicles in McHenry County will face stricter regulations.

The new regulations cap the rates that towing companies may charge residents to reclaim an illegally parked car. Charges are set at $170 to move cars less than 10,000 pounds; $520 to move trucks between 10,000 and 40,000 pounds; and $700 to relocate vehicles that weigh more than 40,000 pounds.

The oversight also controls how far a company may relocate a car, how much may be charged in storage fees, and how firms license their drivers, dispatchers and support staff.

Information sessions for towing companies in the area, law enforcement and residents are set for May.

If you go

Who: Members of the McHenry County Board, Illinois Commerce Commission police, relocation towing companies, local police and residents.

What: An informational session on new ICC oversight for relocation towing.

When: 1 to 3 p.m. May 6 and 7.

Where: McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock.

Read the full story here.

April is "Move Over" Month in IN

Extra state police patrols are on-duty to get the word (and tickets) out. Read the story here.

NC Tow Truck Driver Robbed of $2500 at Gunpoint

A 31-year old tow truck driver in NC was robbed of $2,500 by a gunman on Wednesday night. According to the story, the driver and co-workers stopped to ask 18-year old Matthew Edward Monroe where a customer's car was located. Monroe pulled a revolver, put it to the driver's head and demanded money. The driver had $2,500 in his wallet. Monroe was later charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon and booked into Gaston County Jail on $30,000 bond.
Read the whole story here.

Gotta love 'em...

Thanks to Bev for sending this on!

When our lawn mower broke and wouldn't run, my wife kept hinting to me
that I should get it fixed. But, somehow I always had something else to
take care of first, the truck, the car, fishing, playing golf -always
something more important to me.

Finally she thought of a clever way to make her point. When I arrived
home one day, I found her seated in the tall grass, busily snipping away
with a tiny pair of sewing scissors. I watched silently for a short time
and then went into the house. I was gone only a minute, and when I came
out again I handed her a toothbrush.

I said, "When you finish cutting the grass, you might as well sweep the
driveway."
The doctors say I will walk again, but I will always have a limp.

We're so concerned about your safety...

that we'll even tell you about another publication's new safety program!

Tow Times has launched TowSafe, a low-cost safety program based on the Safety Meeting columns written by Patrick Gratzianna. Gratzianna, who grew up in the towing industry, is currently president of Midwest Fleet Safety, Inc.

If your company has 10 or more people, you qualify for this offer. Here's what you get for $19.95 per employee:

• A one-year (12 issues) subscription to Tow Times for every person you enroll
• A quarterly test based on the previous three months of Safety Meeting columns by Gratzianna
• A quarterly safety poster to display in your break room, garage or drivers' area

Call Rosie at 1-800-308-3745 for more information.

Goodyear Announces its 2008 North America Highway Hero Award

Kudos to Richard Filiczkowski of Zion, IL for receiving Goodyear's 25th North America Highway Hero Award recently. Filiczkowski jumped into an icy North Dakota pond to rescue a 9-year old girl. Read his heroic story here. Filiczkowski is pictured above, left, with Goodyear's First Highway Hero, Ronnie Stapleton, right.

Back in 1983, Goodyear began its sponsorship of the Highway Hero program with Stapleton, of Beckley, WV, taking home the first prize. The truck tire company assumed responsibility for the program from "Heavy Duty Trucking" magazine, which started the award a couple years prior.

Stapleton was recognized for using his bare hands to tear off the back door of a burning car, and then breaking the back seat in two as he extricated two unconscious occupants. At that time, Stapleton - who also was a preacher - was hauling explosives in his DuPont truck. The 67-year-old owns two trucks and is still driving.

Read about the other winners here.

Nominate a truck driver as Goodyear's 29th North America Highway Hero here.

towSearch Sees 29% Increase in Searches During Last Quarter

Read the whole release here.

towPartners® announced that it has added more than 10,000 service providers to its free towing and road service provider locator tool in the first quarter of 2008. The addition of so many service providers comes alongside a new interface for users which improves search results. In the past quarter towSearch has also seen a 29% increase in searches for service providers and a tremendous increase in towing company feedback on having received paid calls from the system.

It is reported that the system now has nearly 30,000 companies registered and towPartners reports that thus far over 1,000 members have opted-in to provide a 10% discount to first time customers using towSearch. It is expected that this number will increase by 50% or more in the second quarter.

Learn more about towSearch and towParnters at www.towpartners.com.

Arrow Truck Sales Announces 2008 Back on the Road Winner

Donald Turkelson of Battle Creek, MI was chosen by Arrow Truck Sales as its 2008 Back On The Road Winner at the 2008 Mid-America Trucking Show at the end of March.

Arrow’s Back On The Road 2008 Contest™ is an initiative designed to benefit a deserving independent owner-operator in need of a truck and a job. People were encouraged to submit stories about deserving friends, family members, associates and even themselves for this opportunity of a lifetime.

After an extensive nomination and interview process, Turkelson and his story stood out to Arrow and its industry associates.

On March 19, 2002 Turkelson was in a company drop lot when he was shot, taking him off the road for five years. A gunman attempted to hijack his truck at 1:30 a.m. and when Turkelson refused to cooperate, he was shot in the left leg as he tried to escape. After driving to the security gate, severely injured, Turkelson was taken to the hospital where he underwent surgery.

Since completing extensive physical therapy, Turkelson, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Army, has served for more than five years as a pastor for the United Methodist Church and also as a truck-driving instructor at Lansing Community College. He has dedicated his life to helping his community become productive and enlightened citizens. However, regardless of the rewarding experiences he has had in his post-trucking jobs, they have not given him the satisfaction of working in his chosen career.

“I’m honored to be chosen as the winner of Back On The Road,” said Turkelson. “For many years I’ve been unable to drive full-time and I’m looking forward to once again doing what I love—working full-time as a driver who is helping the American economy by delivering goods and services.”

As winner of Back on the Road 2008^™, courtesy of Arrow Truck Sales and its industry associates, Turkelson will receive:

• A 2005 VNL 670 tractor donated by Volvo Trucks North America
• A one-year work agreement with Heartland Express
• A 3-year / 300K mile warranty courtesy of National Truck Protection (NTP)
• Insurance provided by the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA)
• Business consulting and financial tools courtesy of ATBS
• Truck detailing provided by Dickinson Fleet Services
• Tires courtesy of Michelin
• Truck accessories and fenders provided by Minimizer Products

“Donald has an amazing story to tell and a great spirit,” said Carl Heikel, president and CEO of Arrow. “Arrow is proud to give him the opportunity to get back on the road with a quality truck from Volvo and a job from Heartland Express.”

Drive Next-Generation Propane Vehicle Technology

Maybe we'll have some propane-powered tow trucks soon!

Propane Alternative Fuel Road Show Comes to California on April 16, 17 & 18

Test drive and experience new propane engine fuel technologies that meet or exceed state and federal emissions standards in the propane-powered Roush F-150 pick-up truck, Blue Bird VISION school bus, and the GM 8.1L medium duty truck. In addition to the public events scheduled, these vehicles will caravan from Sacramento to Los Angeles , covering more than 400 miles in 3 days.

1) Sacramento: A-Z Bus Company, 3418 52nd Ave. Sacramento, CA 95823, April 16, 9 a.m. to noon
2) Fresno: Ransome-Mfg., 3495 S. Maple Ave., Fresno, CA 93725, April 17, 9 a.m. to noon
3) Los Angeles: South Coast AQMD, 21865 Copley Drive, Diamond Bar, CA 91765, April 18, 9 a.m. to noon

Continental Breakfast will be provided.

WHY
The US Congress challenged Americans to reduce gasoline consumption by 20 percent over the next decade. In turn, Governor Schwarzenegger challenged California to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation fuels sold in the state by at least 10 percent by 2020. A bellwether state in environmental protection and smart energy, California city leaders and fleet managers are looking to meet these goals by evaluating alternative fuel options; and more are turning to a proven option that is domestic and available today – propane. Research has found that if a select group of fleet owners switched 10% of their vehicles to propane, more than 830 million gallons of conventional fuel could be displaced by 2017. Along with providing a solution for reducing dependence on foreign oil, propane-powered vehicles are more cost effective, cleaner burning and environmentally friendly than traditional gasoline or diesel fuels. For more information, go to www.propanefreedom.com.

Truck-Lite Teams Recognized

During the fifth annual Truck Writers of North America (TWNA) awards banquet at the 2008 Mid America Trucking Show, two Truck-Lite employees accepted honors.

Jerry Lee, Truck-Lite’s Sr. Multi-Media Specialist was presented with a Silver Award in the category of Book Writing – Technical, for the production of Truck-Lite’s “Lighting User’s Guide” training book. He accepted on behalf of the Truck-Lite Marketing Communications Team.

Sherry White, Truck-Lite’s Manager of Marketing Communications & Services was presented with a Bronze Award in the category of Public Relations – Total Campaign. She accepted on behalf of the Truck-Lite Marketing Communications Team.

Truck-Lite Co., Inc, headquartered in Falconer New York, is a major producer of signal lighting, forward lighting, wiring harnesses, mirrors, turn signal switches, and safety accessories to the heavy duty truck, trailer, and commercial vehicle industries. Learn more at www.truck-lite.com.

New Heavy/Ultra Instructor at North American Towing Academy

Garrett Paquette has recently joined the North American Towing Academy as a heavy and ultra-heavy instructor.

Paquette, a second generation operator, has been in a tow truck most of his life. He began towing for Car Store Towing, the family business, in 1979 and runs the company today near Orlando, FL. He has operated heavy equipment for over 25 years and maintains a fleet that includes heavy trucks, ultra-heavy trucks, rotators, Landolls, and a variety of light- and medium-duty equipment.

With his heavy and ultra-heavy experience and towing/recovery equipment, Paquette's company is one of the Orlando-area companies that participates in the Rapid Incident Scene Clearance or RISC on Florida's Turnpike. He is PWOF-certified in all four classes of trucks and hold certifications in air cushions, wreck, rescue, scuba diving, Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPR) and MOT/Flagger.

"With Garrett on board, NATA will begin offering each class of certification from light to ultra-heavy nationwide," said NATA president David Lambert. "We began working on the heavy program in February and hope to begin scheduling classes for early summer." The Ultra Class should be ready for the fall.

Paquette is described as a devoted family man and community leader. His son, Tony, is a third-generation tower who already works the heavies. Paquette's wife, Sharon, manages both the business office and their home. Daughter Cecilla is a student. Paquette belongs to the Clermont Masonic Lodge, the Brachia Shrine and the Scottish Rite. He is president of his local Kiwanis Club and is a member of the South Lake County Chamber of Commerce. He was also a volunteer firefighter.

Learn more about the NATA by calling Lambert at 407-765-5149 or visit www.TheNATA.com.

Fund Set Up for Son of NY Tower Killed Last Week

From WGRZ News:

Family and friends have now set up a fund for Kevin Coffta's six-year-old son Dawson. Coffta was killed Wednesday when he was struck by an SUV while towing a vehicle on the I-190.

It happened shortly before 5 A.M. on the I-190 south in the Town of Tonawanda, just south of the I-290 interchange.

Police say the Coffta was removing an abandoned car from the right shoulder of the road when he was hit by a car. That car then went airborne, rolling over twice, coming to rest on its roof.

Coffta, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the car, David Brown, 64, of Cheektowaga, is charged with vehicular manslaughter and DWI.

To send a donation:

Dawson Kinzly Fund
c/o HSBC Bank
2300 Grand Island Boulevard
Grand Island, NY 14072

Tow truck procession salutes TN tower who died last week

More than 150 tow truck operators honored 55-year old Clyde Stewart who worked for Star Towing by participating in an hour-long procession. Stewart died last week when he was swept away in flood waters while trying to recover a vehicle. Read the full story here.

AAA of WI and Prarie Land Towing Help Brewers Fans for Free

From the Fond du Lac Reporter:

AAA Wisconsin and Prairie Land Towing will provide free emergency vehicle assistance to Milwaukee Brewers fans attending home games, according to a AAA press release.

Free emergency vehicle assistance is provided for every home game at Miller Park one hour before the first pitch, and from the seventh inning until the stadium lots are cleared after the game. Services include lock-outs, no-starts, flat tires and other related services, as well as towing of a disabled vehicle to a service garage within five miles.

“We are very pleased to team with the Milwaukee Brewers and Prairie Land Towing to assist fans this season,” said AAA Wisconsin Regional President Tom Frymark. “We can help fans enjoy their ballpark experience while showcasing the outstanding service provided by AAA and Prairie Land Towing.”

Fans may access the emergency vehicle assistance by contacting a police officer, parking attendant, or the Milwaukee Brewers Guest Relations Center at Miller Park.

The Milwaukee Brewers promote the availability of the AAA Wisconsin and Prairie Land Towing services during each home game on the scoreboard and the stadium televisions, as well as the public address system and official game-day program. Signs are also posted throughout the stadium and parking lots.

Also from IN

Man booked on homicide charges stemming from 2003 I-69 incident

ANGOLA, Ind. — Kevin Love of Milan was booked into the Steuben County Jail last week on a reckless homicide charge and two charges of criminal recklessness, after a rearend crash on northbound Interstate 69 in December 2003 that killed a tow truck driver.

James Hall, 54, of Gold Star Wrecker Service in Fremont, Ind., was loading a disabled caravan-type vehicle onto his wrecker when Love struck it from behind in his white service van pulling a U-Haul trailer.

Hall was pinned between the vehicles and killed instantly in the crash, and Love sustained critical injuries. A passenger in Love’s van and the driver of the caravan suffered injuries also. Police at the time speculated Love may have fallen asleep while driving.

Good signage!

In this story from IN, it's noted that tow truck owner Lou Farney has the state's Move Over law displayed on the back window of all of his truck. According to the story, Indiana was the first state to enact a Move Over law. That was in 1999. The legislation was amended in 2000 to include tow trucks and stationary highway maintenance vehicles. Read the full story here.

Round of applause goes to...

Canadian tower, 89-year old Charlie Giorgianni, who owns Call Service towing company! He used CPR to save a middle-aged client's life. Giorgianni, who served in WWII, said he learned the lifesaving skills when he was in the military. Read Giorgianni's heroic story here.

Useful Tools :)

You may find these helpful around the house/garage...
DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your soda across the room, splattering it against that freshly-stained heirloom piece you were drying.
WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned guitar calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, 'Yeouw....'
ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age, or for perforating something behind and beyond the original intended target object.
SKIL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.
PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.
BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs. Caution: Avoid using for manicures.
HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built for frustration enhancement. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.
VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.
WELDING GLOVES: Heavy duty leather gloves used to prolong the conduction of intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.
OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub you want the bearing race out of.
WHITWORTH SOCKETS: Once used for working on older British cars and motorcycles, they are now used mainly for impersonating that 9/16 or 1/2 socket you've been searching for the last 45 minutes.
TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.
HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper.
EIGHT-FOOT LONG YELLOW PINE 4X4: Used for levering an automobile upward off of a trapped hydraulic jack handle.
TWEEZERS: A tool for removing wood splinters and wire wheel wires.
E-Z OUT BOLT AND STUD EXTRACTOR: A tool ten times harder than any known drill bit that snaps neatly off in bolt holes thereby ending any possible future use.
RADIAL ARM SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to scare neophytes into choosing another line of work.
TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.
CRAFTSMAN 1/2 x 24-INCH SCREWDRIVER: A very large pry bar that inexplicably has an accurately machined screwdriver tip on the end opposite the handle.
AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw.
TROUBLE LIGHT: The home mechanic's own tanning booth. Sometimes called a drop light, it is a good source of vitamin D, 'the sunshine vitamin,' which is not otherwise found under cars at night. Health benefits aside, its main purpose is to consume 40- watt light bulbs at about the same rate that 105mm howitzer shells might be used during, say, the first few hours of the Battle of the Bulge. More often dark than light, its name is somewhat misleading. The accessory socket within the base, has been permanently rendered useless, unless requiring a source of 117vac power to shock the mechanic senseless.
PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids, opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.
STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws.
AIR COMPRESSOR: A machine that takes energy produced in a coal-burning power plant 200 miles away and transforms it into compressed air that travels by hose to a Chicago Pneumatic impact gun that grips rusty bolts which were last over tightened 40 years ago by someone at VW, and instantly rounds off their heads. Also used to quickly snap off lug nuts.
PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.
HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.
HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent to the object we are trying to hit.
MECHANIC'S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use. It is also useful for removing large chunks of human flesh from the user's hands.
DAMMIT TOOL: (I have lots of these) Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling 'DAMMIT' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need after a really big hammer.

Friday Funny!

Thanks, Christina, for this one!

The Wisdom of Larry The Cable Guy . .
1. A day without sunshine is like night.

2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.

3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.

4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.

5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.

6. He who laughs last thinks slowest.

7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.

8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets

the cheese in the trap.

9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.

10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.

12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.

13. How many of you believe in psychokinesis? Raise my hand.

14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?

15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.

17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?

18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?

20. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?

21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering,

"What the heck happened?"

22. Just remember -- if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.

23. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear

bright until you hear them speak.

24. Life isn't like a box of chocolates. It's more like a jar of jalapenos.

What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.

Body of TN Tow Truck Driver Found

On Wednesday, searchers located the body of the tow truck driver who fell into flood waters on Monday. Here's a description of how the incident occurred from a MyEyewitnessNews.com report (Read the full story here):

Deputies say a Mazda 6 was going east on Holmes Road when it veered off and went into a ditch about a mile east of Reynolds Road. The driver, Tony Williams, 43, was able to get out of the car, just as the water began to rise. He called for help and a sheriff's deputy, plus two tow trucks from Star Towing arrived.

Deputies say one of the drivers was trying to put a hook on the car's frame, while standing on top of the car. Deputies say the car began to move and the driver fell into the rushing water. The car shifted about 20 feet into a culvert under Holmes Road.

Investigators say the tow truck driver had tied an air hose around his waist as a "makeshift lifeline", but the line broke under the force of the water.

NY Tow Truck Driver Killed

Sad, sad news from Buffalo, NY. Here's an excerpt from the report from the WBFO NewsRoom online:

BUFFALO, NY (2008-04-02) A tow truck operator is dead, and the driver of an SUV is facing charges after a fatal accident on the southbound I-190 in Tonawanda early Wednesday morning.

Police say the tow truck was being hooked to a disabled vehicle on the shoulder when the SUV apparently came by on the shoulder, sideswiping the disabled vehicle and striking the tow truck operator. The victim, Kevin Coffa, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was employed by Marty's Towing Service on Grand Island.

The SUV was driven by David Brown, 64, of Cheektowaga. His vehicle flipped several times before landing on its roof near the median.

Troopers plan to charge Brown with vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated.

A Moo-ving Recovery

Thanks to firefighters and tow truck operator Ernie Nieberlie of Ernie's Towing of Essex, MA, Dunkley the cow has been rescued after an escapade gone wrong. The wayward cow left her field through an open gate and tried to cross a covered, in-ground pool. The cover gave way, dunking Dunkley. Read the story and check out the video report here :)

That's what you call luck!

Check out the story of this lucky 18-year old Australian boy who spent 90 minutes dangling precariously from a bridge before rescuers, including tow truck company owner Michael Grining and his 27-ton tow truck, saved him. Read it here.

Rescuers Search for TN Tow Truck Driver Swept Away By Flood Waters

Clyde Stewart, who worked for Star Towing of Memphis, TN, was swept away by flood waters while trying to pull a car from a ditch. Rescue crews were searching for him. Read the whole story here.

Update on Missing OR Tow Truck Operator

Police have found the tow truck of the Oregon tow truck operator, Dario Rolon-Centeno, who went missing last Thursday. Here are some details from a KATU.com report (read the whole report and view a picture of Rolon-Centeno here):

Police are calling Rolon-Centeno a "missing endangered person" and classified his disappearance as suspicious. However, there was no evidence by mid-Sunday of an actual crime.

He has been married for more than 36 years with no history of going missing or substance abuse, police said.

Rolon-Centeno is described as:

• Hispanic
• 5 feet 5 inches tall and 155 pounds
• Balding on the top of his head with salt and pepper hair on the sides
• With a small mole on the right side of his face and missing a finger.
• He was last seen wearing a black raincoat, black jeans, brown cowboy boots and a black cap with a red and white goat on the front.

Missing Tow Truck Operator in Oregon

A Portland, OR tow truck operator, Dario Rolon-Centeno, 61, was last seen on Thursday morning when he left to go to work. His family said that this is unusual for the man who has been married for 36 years and has a heart condition. Here's the description from the FOX 12 news report:

He’s described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 155 pounds. He is balding on top of his head with salt and pepper hair on the sides. He has a small mole on the right side of his face and is missing a finger.He was last seen in a white 1992 Isuzu tow truck with yellow Oregon license plate TW19196.The word’s “Sam’s Towing” are still visible on the sides of the truck where old logos had been removed.

More news for Texas - TRAA Certification Testing Goes Online For Tow Operators There!

A true milestone for the National Driver Certification Program, TRAA has announced that online application and testing are available for the state of Texas.

In response to legislation passed in Texas late in 2007 requiring Texas towers to take the TRAA exam, TRAA has designed and implemented an online testing program using the testing facilities of LaserGrade, a nationwide testing company.

Applicants for Texas can now go to the TRAA web site, click on the picture of Texas and go straight to the Texas certification page where they will be able to download an application and receive directions via zip code to the nearest LaserGrade testing site.

TRAA will monitor this program closely for the first year and then determine whether it will go nationwide with the process. This is a huge step for TRAA, its National Driver Certification Program and forTexas.

TRAA Education Chair, MikeScott, stated, "This really takes us into the 21st century and we are very proud to have been able to meet this long awaited goal!"

Visit the TRAA web site www.towserver.net.

TRAA is the national towing association serving the towing and recovery industry. Its education and legislative efforts serve its members, the affiliated state associations and the towing industry as a whole.Contact: Harriet Cooley 703-684-7713

Texas Tow Company Receives $100,000 EPA Grant

Interesting press release from the EPA. If you live in North Texas, it might be worth looking into the application process. You'll need to jump on it though. The deadline is April 11.
Read the release here or below:

Denton Businesses Save Over $276,000 While Cleaning the Air

Release date: 03/27/2008

Contact Information: Dave Bary or Tressa Tillman at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – March 27, 2008) Three small businesses in Denton County recently received over $276,000 in rebates by participating in the Texas Emissions Reduction Program (TERP). TERP provides rebates and grants to help replace aging diesel engines that consume more fuel and generate more pollution than newer models.

Lewisville-based Pro Tow Wrecker Service, a rebate recipient, received over $106,000 to replace an old haul truck with a new, more efficient model. "At a time when diesel fuel is reaching all time highs of over four dollars per gallon, it makes economic and environmental sense for businesses like Pro Tow Wrecker to participate in TERP," said Leslie Rauscher, EPA Project Manager. “This opportunity won’t last long so we encourage businesses to apply before time runs out.”

Two other Denton County businesses saved over $170,000 by using TERP to replace two older dump trucks. Don Buttress and Joel Estrada are doing their part to clean the air by removing 17 tons of pollutants from our air by operating newer vehicles.

To date North Texas businesses have saved over $3.3 million while reducing nearly 353 tons of pollution. The $30 million allocated to the rebate grants under this funding cycle has been awarded, but there is still time to apply for grants. The application deadline is April 11, 2008. Individual application assistance is available at local TERP Community Help Desks. For information visit www.terpgrants.org or call (800) 919-8377.

The TERP serves as a national model for replacing and retrofitting older diesel engines and is managed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports local efforts to encourage participation in TERP as a way to improve air quality in DFW.

More about activities in EPA Region 6: http://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/audio.htm#audio032708_terp5

Win Some Fuel Starting Today!

“Progressive Pumps Up the Savings Free Fuel Giveaway”

It’s no secret that rising fuel costs are a big stress for tow truck drivers, truckers and business owners. In fact a recent survey by auto insurer, Progressive, found that 69 percent of truckers say fuel costs are their most concerning business expense.

To relieve some of that stress, Progressive is giving away more than $150,000 in free fuel.

There are two ways to win:
In person - Progressive will give away thousands of $25 fuel cards at commercial auto tradeshows throughout the year, including the Mid America Truck Show, Great American Truck Show, Great West Truck Show and American Towman Exposition. For a complete list of shows, go to www.progressivecommercial.com.

Online - Beginning March 27, small business owners and truckers can register at www.progressivecommercial.com to win one of three $25,000 grand prizes.
In addition, two $50 fuel cards will be awarded daily throughout 2008. Visitors can enter daily for the $25,000 grand prizes and the $50 fuel cards.

“The average trucker or small business owner can easily spend thousands of dollars a year in fuel, so a $25,000 grand prize would help with a giant business expense. Even $25 can help with that next fill-up,” said Tom Corpus, with Progressive’s commercial lines group. “That’s why we’re giving away more than $150,000 in free fuel online and at more than 20 tradeshows around the country this year.”

To find an agent or to get a quote, go to www.progressive.com.

A Rash of Not-So-Bright Decision-Making...

Third place goes to an Illinois man who nearly mowed someone over as he stole his car back from the impound lot where it had been towed. Read the story here.

Second place goes to an Ohio man who drove his 1996 Chevrolet off a moving tow truck after it been towed. (I can only imagine that the damage to his car was probably more than the tow itself!) Read the story here.

Grand Prize goes to a 22-year old tow truck driver in the South Jersey city of Pleasantville for
a) going around a stopped car while
b) ignoring the flashing lights at the railroad crossing to
c) drive over the tracks in his flatbed truck with
d) a passenger to
e) get hit by the slow-moving freight train, which
f) caused him to spin out and
g) hit and injure three pedestrians on the roadside.

Thankfully, no one was critically-injured. Read one story here and another here.

IL Tow Truck Driver Hit

The tow truck operator was attempting to pull a car from a ditch alongside a snow-covered road on Friday evening when he was struck. Thankfully, the tow truck operator was not killed. Read the story here.

TX Wrecker Driver Found Shot

Baldemar Fuentes, 35, was found shot and lying facedown in a ditch on Saturday. An employee of Eastside Wrecker, Fuentes was reported missing earlier in the day. He is listed in critical condition.
Read the whole story here.

Economy Driving Repos

Seems business is up for the repo guys. Check out this story from Erie, PA.

$3.25 Million Awarded to Tow Company

Jimmy Schlier of Wreckers International in PA was awarded $3.25 million by a federal court jury following a dispute over his removal from state police towing referral list from 2002 to 2006. Read the whole story here.

SPEED TV Summer Series "Wrecked"

Features O'Hare Towing of Illinois and owners Bill & Marci Gratzianna.
I had the pleasure of meeting Marci at the TRAA's Legislative & Leadership Conference in early March. She is the Women of theTRAA's First Vice-President and one of the creators of the TRAA's second and newest DVD, Dress For Success.

Here's the release found at BusinessWire.com.

SPEED™ Shines Light on One of Nation’s Most Dangerous Jobs – Tow Truck Operator – with New Summer Series ‘Wrecked’

Chicago’s O’Hare Towing & Recovery Responds to More Than 200 Calls a Day

CHARLOTTE , N.C.-- (BUSINESS WIRE)--SPEED, the definitive network for motor sports and automotive lifestyle programming, will focus its cameras on one of the most dangerous professions in the nation, when the summer-scheduled Wrecked

“It’s probably safe to say that just about anyone who’s ever driven a car has come in contact with a tow truck driver at least once or twice, and most likely not under happy circumstances,” said SPEED VP of Programming Robert Ecker.

“Whether they are called upon to fix a flat tire, tow an illegally parked vehicle or clean up the remnants of a major wreck, the people who work in this inherently dangerous industry touch the lives of all of us in some way large or small, yet they remain otherwise virtually unnoticed."

"With this series, we intend to showcase the inner workings of one of the largest and busiest such companies in one of the largest and busiest metropolitan areas in the country. The fact that the shop is owned and operated as a multi-generational family business and populated by a large and colorful group of employees certainly doesn’t hurt either. "

“This is a world similar in many respects to that of a major urban firehouse,” Ecker continued. “Until the phone rings and that emergency call comes in, there’s simply no way of knowing what any given day will bring and when it does come, lives can literally hang in the balance."

According to the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame in Tennessee, nearly 100 tow truck drivers lose their lives on the job every year, and O’Hare responds to more than 200 calls a day in a city that reports nearly a quarter of a million traffic accidents a year.

“This is a very dangerous job,” said O’Hare’s Bill Gratzianna, who runs the family owned business in the Chicago suburb of Northlake. “We lose a lot of towing operators on a regular basis … every response is delicate and can be volatile.”

Wrecked, scheduled for 10 one-hour episodes premiering in HD in July, will tell the stories behind the daily life of this major operation, accompanying drivers on high-risk calls as well as recording the daily stresses in the shop and in the family.

“We are out there with people when they are at their most vulnerable,” said Bill’s wife Marci Gratzianna, who also works in the business. “They are broken down … they are scared.”

Wrecked joins new 2008 SPEED originals Livin’ The Low Life with Vida Guerra, Super Cars Exposed, Drag Race High and the daily game show Pass Time, as SPEED continues its most ambitious prime time program development effort in network history.

“This is a unique reality programming initiative for SPEED and it will be a wild ride for viewers,” said SPEED Senior VP of Programming Steve Craddock. “The colorful characters at O’Hare Towing face more adversity and danger every day than most people experience in a lifetime.”

In addition, exclusive Wrecked short-form content will be made available all season through www.SPEEDtv.com, VOD cable, iTunes video podcasts, mobile phones, cable broadband sites and viral distribution.

On the mobile front, long-form episodes will be available on Sprint wireless handsets via Sprint TV. SPEED clips and original short-form content will be made available to Sprint, Cingular, MobiTV and others.

Wrecked full-length episodes, advanced screenings and free clips also will be available for electronic download via iTunes, Amazon, Best Buy and other electronic download distributors.

SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 78 million homes in North America , SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country and, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services.

For more information, please visit www.SPEEDtv.com, the online motor sports authority. shadows O’Hare Towing & Recovery as it services one of the busiest transportation hubs in the United States .

New Website for Troubleshooting Car Problems

According to a press release about the new website called AutomotiveExpertsOnline.com, most all car repair questions can now be answered online.

"AutomotiveExpertsOnline.com is designated for safe and reliable auto advice that's cheap and fast," owner Derrick O'Gorman says. He created the site for amateurs and pros alike, who don't have time and money to waste for answers to common car repair questions.

For those who have a specific model in mind AutomotiveExpertsOnline.com also is categorized by make and model. The site is free to register and join, all questions can be seen for free, registered users bid on answers written by real certified experts who are waiting to assist users. Experts usually answer within hours. The site also guarantees your satisfaction by refunding your deposit 100% if you are not satisfied.

New Alliance for Beacon Software; New Offering for Beacon Customers

Beacon Software Company, which offers dispatching and towing software, has announced their exclusive partnership with Link It Software Corporation.

This partnership enables Beacon to immediately offer Link It’s Web-based vehicle and equipment maintenance tracking software, called EZM Web, to all Beacon customers.

Todd Althouse, Managing Partner at Beacon Software, noted, “Our partnership with Link It makes terrific, user friendly maintenance software available to all of our customers at special, very affordable pricing obtainable only through Beacon. Training is included so our customers can begin using EZM Web immediately.”

Since releasing its premier tow management solutions, Dispatch Anywhere®, Beacon now services over 9000 towing companies in 30 countries with a multitude of products, including the industry’s leading vehicle towing instruction website, TowSpec®.

EZM Web tracks and controls all maintenance for any type of equipment and any type of vehicle plus inventory control via the Web. Among its many features, EZM Web allows businesses of any size to track and sustain maintenance schedules for all their equipment and vehicles and utilize special alerting features when maintenance is due coupled with numerous costing and history reports. Users may also select maintenance tracking by time span or mileage, and manage inventory with level alerts.

EZM Web is accessible from anywhere in the world there is an Internet connection making this a turnkey association for Beacon Software, which is also Web based.

“We have had many inquiries for equipment and vehicle maintenance software over the years,” Althouse continued, “but we did not want to create maintenance software from scratch as we are very focused on our dispatch and towing software. Then we found EZM Web.”

“The features of Link It’s EZM Web fit right in with our model,” said Althouse. “It’s a perfect match in price and design. The price is very right for our customers, and every feature they need is there. Best of all, the maintenance software is ready to use immediately.”

Product information found at www.beaconsoftco.com or contact: 440-237-6653.

Quick Clearance is Good... Part 2

Just don't drive recklessly to do it!

Two TX wrecker operators responding to a police scene were arrested for reckless driving themselves. Below is an excerpt from the story. Read the whole story here.

Police arrested two wrecker drivers, accusing them of reckless driving while getting to the scene.

Christopher Glenn Hermis, 21, and Jose Atruro Herrera, 30, were both taken into custody.

Herrera has a criminal record.

Both of the drivers’ towing licenses were suspended and could be revoked for a year after a special hearing.

“Something like this puts us 100 miles back to where we started,” Jeanette Rash of the Texas Towing and Storage Association said.

Rash applauded the arrests.

“It sends a signal to drivers to stay out of what’s not your business,” she said.

Recovering the Long Lost

After an August fire cleared the brush from a canyon in Whittier, CA, nine abandoned VW Bugs were uncovered. It was estimated that the cars had been there for over a decade.

Haddick's Tow of Industry was called in for the recovery. Check out the story and video here.

Quick Clearance is Good...

Just don't speed to do it!

A Canadian tow truck driver lost his license for seven days, had his truck towed and impounded and faces steep fines for speeding on the way to pick up the vehicle of another motorist who had been caught speeding. Read the whole story here.

Check Out These Videos!

I was pretty impressed by these six commercials by AAA Ohio. View them here.

TRAA's 11th Annual Legislative & Leadership Conference

Hey! I was there! Where were you????

Left to right, Sam Brewer (TRAA President), Me, Ruth Landau (PWOF)

Me, of course, and Al Gregg of Dakota Service & Repair

From left to right, Joe Haines (Haines Towing, Inc & 5th VP of Garden State Towman's Assoc.),
Me, and John Glass (President, GSTA)

From the Towing & Recovery Association of America:

TRAA held its 11th Annual Legislative and Leadership Conference on March 7th and 8th, 2008,
at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, VA. The conference began with the keynote speaker, James F. Ports, Jr., Deputy Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), who stated that our theme of responder safety is the single most priority of Department of Transportation Secretary, Mary Peters.

Panels discussing the towing issues of the National Unified Goal (NUG), Hazardous Recoveries and practical advice for getting paid for heavy recoveries filled the early portion of the conference agenda.

TRAA’s second safety DVD, Dress For Success, was released for its first viewing and was very well received. Wrap up topics included an overview of all the current towing initiatives and a report from the TRAA Heavy Recovery Advisory Committee.

A quote from Sam Brewer, TRAA President, sums up the TRAA L&L Conference very well. Said President Brewer, “This is the first year we have ever had to call for more chairs to be added on the second day of the conference.”

Executive Director, Harriet Cooley, stated, “A hit out of the park! Every year this conference gets better and better. We are very grateful for all of our sponsors, participants and attendees without whom we could not produce this conference.”

Held in March annually, the L&L Conference is the only meeting that brings together the heads of state associations, other industry leaders and interested constituents into a forum where virtually any and every topic regarding towing, recovery and related issues can be discussed. Captured under the same roof where there are no other enticing displays to distract their attention, these attendees explore, discuss and debate the issues the towing and recovery industry faces on a daily basis.

TRAA thanks the sponsors for the 2008 conference:
American Towing Alliance, Miller Industries, Propane Education Council, Travis Barlow Insurance , United States Auto Club, Motoring Division

Many thanks, as well, to our presenters who informed, infused, incited and excited the conference attendees.

Information regarding the 2009 Legislative and Leadership Conference will be available on the TRAA web site, www.towserver.net, in early April. TRAA membership and product listings including Dress For Success are available on the site as well.

Feelin' the sting...

This would definitely be classified as a bad day in my book! Read the full story here.

Bees Swarm in CA After Truck Flips Over
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Millions of swarming honey bees are on the loose after a truck carrying crates of the insects flipped over on a California highway.The California Highway Patrol says 8-to-12 million bees escaped Sunday from the crates in which they were stored and swarmed over an area of Highway 99 and stung officers, firefighters and tow truck drivers trying to clear the accident.CHP Officer Michael Bradley says a tractor trailer flipped over while entering the highway on its way to Yakima, Wash. The flatbed was carrying bee crates each filled with up to 30,000 bees.Bradley says several beekeepers driving by the accident stopped to assist in the bee wrangling.The bees had been used in the San Joaquin Valley to pollinate crops.

The Day's Headlines

From Kingston, Jamaica: Mayor suspends towing in Kingston for two weeks

An Everday Hero

A round of applause goes to James Sorenson, the owner of John's Towing in Utah, for his quick actions to lift a truck off a man who had been run over and dragged. Here's the story from the Deseret Morning News:

AMERICAN FORK — A couple are in critical condition after being hit in a crosswalk in American Fork Friday afternoon.

Just after 1:40 p.m. a man and woman were crossing in the crosswalk at Main Street and Center Street in American Fork, when a Texas man turned left on a green light and struck the couple.

The 53-year-old male victim was wedged under the truck, but a tow truck driver just happened to be driving by when the accident occurred, said Lt. Sam Liddiard with American Fork Police.

"It's kind of amazing he was there," Liddiard said of James Sorenson, owner of John's Towing.

Sorenson has 30 years of towing experience and has been involved with 30 to 50 fatal accidents, but this one, he says, was the worst.

"I just broke down and bawled afterword," he said. "I don't know why, but for some reason this one really bothered me. He was in bad shape."

The woman dropped where she was hit, but the man was dragged 30 to 50 feet under the truck, Sorenson said.

"It probably took about 45 seconds to a minute" to drop the car he was already towing and hook and lift the truck, he said. "I've just been doing this for so long, and adrenaline kicks in, too."

After Sorenson's lift, paramedics attended to the man, then he was flown via medical helicopter to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in critical condition, Liddiard said.

The man's wife was taken via ambulance to American Fork Hospital, also in critical condition.

The couple are from Utah, though not from American Fork, Liddiard said.

The driver, 72, who was not injured, was not cited but is cooperating with law enforcement and the investigation, Liddiard said.

Great Write Up on a Fine Farewell

Our condolences to the family and friends of tow truck driver Neil Black of Australia. He died last week from heart failure while driving away from a crash scene where he was assisting. Read about the tribute here.

The Day's Headlines

From Philadelphia, PA: Tow Truck Driver Shot During Argument

The Day's Headlines

From Gainesville, FL: 3 Face Suspension Over Roam Towing

Update on MI Tow Truck Driver Killed by Drunk Driver

Update on 3/16/08 from the Detroit Free Press: Insurance agent charged in death of tow truck driver

ANN ARBOR — A AAA Michigan insurance agent has been charged in the death of a 46-year-old tow truck driver from Ann Arbor.Washtenaw County authorities say William Lyle was behind the wheel when Michael Johnston was struck and killed while pulling a vehicle out of a ditch along Interstate 94 on Sunday. Lyle was arraigned on Tuesday on charges of operating while intoxicated causing death to emergency personnel and operating while intoxicated causing death.His attorney, John Shea, tells The Ann Arbor News his client feels horrible about the incident.Police say tests show Lyle’s blood alcohol content was nearly twice above the state’s legal limit. Johnston worked for Sakstrup’s Towing, one of Lyle’s clients.

Yesterday, I posted the story of a MI tow truck operator, Michael Johnston, who was killed by a drunk driver early Sunday. Here's an updated story on the crash.

One additional story.

Sometimes you just have to shake your head...

In this story from snow-covered Cincinnati, OH, more than 30 cars were found to be parked illegally on the snow emergency route. Instead of just having them towed away, a police officer and a tow truck operator went DOOR-TO-DOOR asking people to move their cars. Only two were towed... to another street, not an impound lot and, yet, people were still unhappy...

Here's an excerpt from the article:

Some motorists weren't too happy about getting a nighttime "wake up call."

Car owner Gerald Mohammed said, "It's a complete inconvenience. But I guess if my car were to get rammed in the back by a snow plow, that could be even worse."

"They were kind enough to warn me," said Mohammed. "So I was told to move it and so I'm moving it."

Read the whole story here.

Let 'em know what you can do!

Kudos to Stanley's Wrecker Service of OK for getting involved with firefighter training in Enid. Read the story here.

Are these really the wrecker fees in Jamaica???

In a story titled "Haphazard Wrecker Fees Irk Transport Boss" from the Jamaica Gleaner News, here are the listed towing fees:

Tow-away charges

Transport Authority: $2,750 plus $500 per additional day vehicle is impounded.

KSAC: $4,000 plus $200 per additional day vehicle is impounded.

Police: Fee varies according to the wrecker operator.

Can I just say 'wow!'? I had no idea...
Here's the whole story.

MI tow truck driver killed in crash

Another sad day for the towing industry.

A 46-year old tow truck driver working for Sakstrup's Towing Service was hit and killed by a suspected drunk driver near Ann Arbor, MI early this morning. The tower, whose name has not yet been released, was on-scene with a Michigan State Police vehicle and in the process of pulling a vehicle from a ditch. Read the story here.

Interesting Find on eBay Motors

Check out this 1948 Diamond T rat rod hot rod tow truck... Sold for $15,000

The Day's Headlines

From Dayton, TN: 12-car crash results in $6 million-lawsuit

From Tacoma, WA: Tow companies question Pierce County plan to give contract to just one firm

Wow! Eight people in the tow truck! From Jackson, MS: Big $$$ Cocaine Seized from Car In Tow

Cargo, General Liability now available from Progressive

The new coverages, now available in Colorado , Missouri , Ohio , Tennessee , Texas and Wisconsin, are expected to be available countrywide by the end of the year.

Cargo
Up to $100,000 in coverage for damage or loss due to theft, fire, collision and hitting or running over cargo.Fewer exclusions, including no co-insurance penalty, no exclusion of coverage if a vehicle is left unattended, and no reduction in coverage limits for items such as electronic equipment.

General Liability
Up to $1 million in coverage for each occurrence and $2 million aggregate coverage available for losses including people slipping and falling next to a parked truck or a trucker causing damage at a customer’s warehouse.

Forr more information on Progressive’s truck program or to find a local independent agent, please go to the all-new www.progressivecommercial.com.

Jerr-Dan Adds Two Distributers; Parent Company Amends Name

Jerr-Dan has added two new distributors, River City Wrecker Sales of West Sacramento, CA and Diamond Wrecker LLC of Jacksonville, FL.

Jerr-Dan's parent corporation, Oshkosh Truck Corporation, received a shareholders' vote of approval to change the company's name to Oshkosh Corporation.

Read the story here.

Headlines From The Week

From Gainesville, FL: Towing companies must give refunds

From Honolulu, HI: Bill to Ban Tow Charges if Driver Shows Up In Time

From Wadena, MN: Verndale man hurt in tow truck crash

From Dunn, NC: Truck Rolls Into Angier Home

From Moscow, Russia: Russian driver gives chase as tow truck hauls away car - and son