Everyday MO Tow Hero

Round of applause to tow truck driver Jeremy Hurt for helping to save a man who was shot! Here's the news story from KPLR-TV:

ST. LOUIS, MO (KPLR) - A local tow truck driver may have saved the life of one of the victims in that crime spree. He stumbled upon the man just moments after he had been shot.

When 33 year old Jeremy Hurt first saw the 23 year old man in the street near Telegraph and Baumgartner around midnight, he didn't realize the man had been shot in the chest. Jeremy, who is a tow truck driver, had the lights on his tow truck flashing because he was transporting a car. He blocked the lane where the man was with his truck and called 911. When jeremy got to the victim and realized he had been shot, he immediately called county police.

"Laying there, feet up on the curb, kind of rolling side to side a little bit, reaching at his shoulder, pulled his shirt up once and said hey I've been shot and that's when I really started freaking out." said Tow Truck Driver Jeremy Hurt.

Jeremy says he saw a Chrysler Sebring speed away from the scene as he pulled up. He didn't realize that was likely the suspects' car because the victim told him the attackers were in a Buick. Jeremy is just glad he pulled up when he did.

Two other people also stopped to help the victim. One of them also talked to the victim before emergency crews arrived.

2010 WTRAA Tow Woman of the Year Nominations

Do you know a WTRAA member who should be recognized as an outstanding leader in our industry? Is she someone who has made a difference in her community, her family, and her business? Is she a special lady who is dedicated to the betterment of the towing industry through her state and national association?

If you know this woman please nominate her for the 2010 Tow Woman of the Year. This most prestigious award will be presented at the TRAA meeting to be held in conjunction with the Tennessee Tow Truck Association Tow Show. The tow show will be held at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Convention Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee September 17-19, 2010. Any questions or for a nomination form, please contact Marci Gratzianna at mgratzianna@oharetowing.com or 630-824-4702.

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Dangerous Duty: MA Tow Truck Driver Survives Head-On Crash

Thankfully, the 26-year-old driver from Express Towing was not killed in this crash. Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of the driver who crashed into him. Here's the story from www.wickedlocal.com:

Cohasset —

Cohasset police said a 51-year-old Scituate man, who was headed south on Route 3A in a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck toward Scituate, crossed over the centerline near Sanctuary Pond Road between lower King and Sohier streets at 6:02 p.m. and hit a wrecker that was headed north.

The accident claimed the life of the Scituate man, who was transported to South Shore Hospital by Cohasset ambulance. He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, police said. Police said it appears he died of multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the crash; he was not wearing a seatbelt.

His name has not been released pending notification of his family.

The man driving the 2008 Super-Duty wrecker out of Express Towing in Braintree was a 26-year-old Hull man who was transported to the hospital by Hull ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Witnesses said the Silverado pickup crossed over the centerline and hit the wrecker head-on, causing major impact.

The force of the collison impacted a third vehicle, a 2007 Nissan Murano, operated by a 27-year-old Scituate man, police said. The operator was not injuired; the car had to be towed, police said.

Route 3A traffic was diverted at lower King and Sohier streets for three hours. The State Police Accident Reconstruction Team helped Cohasset police with their investigation.

Trucker Topples INDOT Camera Tower - Waffco Comes To The Rescue!

Here's the story from the Chesterton Tribune:

Indiana State Police arrested a Chicago truck driver early this morning after he crashed into a 180-foot tower, causing it to fall across both lanes of the ramp at I-65 and I-80. Taken to the Lake County Jail on charges of operating while intoxicated and criminal mischief was Jose Herrera, 52, of Chicago, police said. Police said that at about 1:56 a.m., Herrera was driving a 1998 Kenworth semi eastbound on I-80 to the southbound I-65 ramp. Police said Herrera appears to have failed to negotiate the curve and continued going straight off the roadway, down the embankment and through a chain link fence surrounding the 180-foot camera tower owned by the Indiana Department of Transportation. The tower fell north across both lanes of I-65 northbound to the I-80 westbound ramp, police said. The ramp was closed until part of the tower could be cut and one lane re-opened at approximately 5:15 a.m. The ramp from I-80 east bound to I-65 south bound remained opened. Police said Herrera was traveling from Chicago to Columbus with a load of auto parts weighing 41,912 pounds. No load was lost in the crash. Police said Herrera stated that he drank three beers before picking up his load in Chicago. Troopers also found an open can of beer in the truck, police said. Herrera was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Hobart where he was treated and released before he was taken to the county jail. Police said the camera tower, which had an estimated value of $200,000 to $300,000, was destroyed. The 1998 Kenworth leased to Pier Transportation of Chicago was also totaled, police said. Assisting the Indiana State Police were the Gary Fire Department, Waffco Towing, and the INDOT Hoosier Helpers.

Everyday TX Tow Hero

Kudos to tow truck operator Kyle Evans for pulling a man from a burning vehicle! Here's the 33News story:

As a veteran tow truck driver, Kyle Evans has seen his share of car crashes. He guesses, "Two or three bad accidents a month, real bad ones."

But even his 13-years of experience behind the wheel at home and in the military didn't prepare him for what happened Friday night on I-20 outside of Terrell. Kyle Evans says, "I heard brakes lock up and I looked across the interstate."

What he saw was a tragic, four-vehicle chain reaction crash investigators think started with an 18-wheeler hitting an SUV. Evans says, "As everything came to a stop, the SUV kind of burst into flames."

That's when Evans went running...toward the fire. The first victim he says he saw, "was a lady. She was thrown out of the car. She was on fire herself. I pulled her from the wreckage and pulled her out and asked someone to get a cover to cover her up."

Investigators today say it was 34-year old Lakeysha Greene of Frisco. Evans then noticed two young children inside, also dead. As a father himself, Evans wanted desperately to get the kids out, too. But when he moved the car's airbag, he spotted Wyndell Greene, alive, his eyes looking around and his hands fluttering. Kyle Evans says, "They grabbed a blanket and I threw it over my head and arm...and I just leaned in and I said, 'Give me your arm.' All I seen through the smoke was a hand and I grabbed him by the hand with both my hands and I pulled him out of the vehicle."

Saturday at the crash site, Evans says it tears him apart he couldn't get the kids' bodies out of the burning vehicle and hopes the family doesn't hold it against him.

When I asked him how he's doing, Kyle Evans says, "Seeing what I had seen, I had a hard time sleeping that last night. The images, hopefully like everything else, it'll go away."

Kyle Evans was checked out for smoke inhalation. Four other people were hurt. Wyndell Greene is hospitalized in critical condition with third-degree burns. Kyle Evans is asking all drivers to pay attention behind the wheel. He says it's simple and common sense. But he has witnessed, too many times, the dangers of the road.

TX Towing Co. Under Fire For Inaccessibility To People With Disabilities

Here's the KVUE news story:

A southeast Austin tow truck company is coming under fire for its inaccessibility to people with disabilities.

In late March, 23-year old Tyler Thomas, a person with a disability parked his truck at 608 Rio Grande.

Thomas says he thought he could park in the lot because the business was closed and because his truck has a disability sticker. What he says he couldn't see in the darkness were the towaway signs, a discovery he made the hard way.

"I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have parked in that spot," admitted Thomas, but little did the Texas State University State student know that his problems were just beginning.

Thomas' truck was towed to J&J towing on Linger Lane near Bolm Road. The other side of the front door of the southeast Austin business has a staircase and the window out front where customers pay to get their cars back is elevated and has a stack of cinderblocks to stand on.

The problem is that Tyler Thomas is in a wheelchair.

"I couldn't even get in there to do business with them, I mean how are they going to tow a handicapped vehicle when you can't even get in there to conduct business with them?," questioned Thomas.

Travis County Constable Bruce Elfant says all business operating in Travis County has to comply with the American Disabilities Act or A.D.A. Elfant says there are a few exceptions.

""If we have a citizen in Travis County who's trying to do business with a local business for whatever reason, they want to go purchase something there, they want to go transact something or in this case they want to be able to get their car back they should have access to that business and it is disturbing," said Elfant.

No one from J&J Towing Company returned our repeated requests for an interview nor would anyone answer our questions about whether or not their business or building is an exception to A.D.A. requirements.

"I just want all business to take into consideration when they open up or even if they've been opened up for a while and they're not handicap accessible that we need to get to places too and it's very, very frustrating trying to get in somewhere and you can't," added Thomas.

Constable Elfant also told KVUE that Travis County businesses who do not comply with A.D.A. requirements can be sued.

Elfant encourages people with complaints to contact either his office or Advocacy Incorporated, or the Texas Attorney General's Office.

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URT/ Las Vegas Goodbuy Auto Auction New Online Registration Starts

New online, live auction bidding at Goodbuy Auto Auction!

QCSA Acquires Salvage Direct

QCSA Holdings, Inc., a Vehicle Remarketing and Total Loss Claims Management company announced it has purchased and will be uniting forces with Salvage Direct, a salvage re-marketing firms.

Farewell, Friend

Farewell, Friend. Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of 53-year-old William D. "Bill" Atkinson, who passed away on Monday, May 24. Bill and his brother, Garnett Jr., owned and operated Atkinson Towing, a family business in VA, for more than three generations. Here's his obituary from Fredricksburg.com:

William D. "Bill" Atkinson, born August 16, 1957, left this life on Monday, May 24, 2010.

Bill and his brother, Garnett Jr., owned and operated Atkinson Towing, a family business, for more than three generations. They had built the business up from a heavy-duty truck repair garage, to include towing, repossession operation, and U-Haul rentals, to needing to add an office manager, Michelle.

Bill loved drag racing and mud bogging. He and "the guys" just finished building a sand drag rail. He referred to Chris, who drives his orange mud truck that holds first place in several classes, as "that's my boy."

Bill also loved camping and spending time with his grandchildren.

He leaves behind his wife of 34 years, Linda M. Atkinson; three children, Steven D., Michelle L. and Chris Atkinson and his companion, Jennifer Brown; a daughter-in-law, Amy Atkinson; eight grandchildren, Alex, Christopher, Messiah, Tristan, Lamont, Halley, Jacob and Zackary; his mother, Jean Curtis; his brother, Garnett L. Atkinson Jr.; a niece, Gini Atkinson; a great-niece, Cadence Pomeroy; two great-nephews, Austin Atkinson and James G. Pomeroy; and many friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Garnett L. Atkinson.

A memorial gathering will be held at noon Saturday, May 29, at Atkinson Towing, 5205 Jefferson Davis Highway, Fredericksburg, Va. 22408.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, May 28, at Covenant Funeral Service, Fredericksburg.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the SPCA, 10819 Courthouse Road, Fredericksburg, Va. 22408.

Bill, we miss you. Rest in peace.

TN Repo Man Is Run Over

Here's the story from News Channel 9:

When the repo man shows up at one woman's house Monday afternoon, she says, not so fast. Police say Tia Thomas intentionally hit the gas instead of the brakes, and the man repossessing her car, wound up underneath it.

Mike Phillips of Tow Co Recovery says he's had dealings with Thomas several times before. He called for back up and his father Gary responded.

As they were loading the Chevy Tahoe onto their repo truck, Thomas came to stop them. Thomas hopped into the truck, while it was several feet off the ground, and began trying to drive it off the lift.

Phillips showed us where they struggled over the steering wheel, and eventually, Thomas won out and took off. Phillips' father went after her on Tunnel Boulevard, and cornered her not far away. But when he tried to get her to handover the keys, police say Thomas ran him over. Mike Phillips watched his father get thrown onto the windshield and land on the ground.

Phillips went to the hospital with a concussion and broken ribs. His son spend most of the evening trying to track Tia Thomas down, and late Monday night he found her truck. Police arrested and charged Thomas with aggravated assault.

GA Tower, Father Of Five, Killed At Stop Light

Sad, sad news. Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of 41-year-old Anthony Scott Carter, who worked for South DeKalb Towing. Here's the story from www.wsbtv.com:

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- DeKalb Police arrested two people in connection with the Saturday shooting death of a man waiting at a red light, Channel 2 Action News reporter Tony Thomas learned.Police believe the father of five, who was shot while waiting at a red light, knew his attackers.The shooting happened around 3 a.m. Saturday near the intersection of Panola Road and Covington Highway, DeKalb County police officials said. Police said Anthony Scott Carter, 41, had just left his Avondale High School reunion. He died from the injury.Family members described the father of five as a hard worker and a family man who didn't deserve to die."It's hard right now because I don't even understand how someone could do him like that," said Jessica Weaver, Carter's sister.Police said the victim’s vehicle was stopped at a red light when another vehicle pulled up and fired one shot, striking the victim in the upper torso area.Investigators said the victim managed to drive to a nearby Shell gas station.He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital where he later died.Thomas also spoke with the victim's boss at South DeKalb Towing where he was said to be the best driver they had."He's a problem solver, never creates a problem, he's a great guy, just hard to see and hear that this has happened," said Walter Jackson.One suspect was identified as Menshack Nyepah. He made his first court appearance Sunday night. The other suspect's name has not been released.

Nice Profile on WA's Towing Hall of Famer Gordon Simmons

Here's the story from the South Whidbey Record:

He’s towed everything from Beetles to bulldozers, school buses to fire trucks, but one job alone would probably put Gordon Simmons of Clinton in the tow-truck hall of fame.

The horse in the septic tank.

“That was something else,” Simmons said this week of the incident about 10 years ago down by Cultus Bay. “It was an old tank with a wooden cover. The horse walked across it and fell through. The stuff was clear over his back.”

Simmons hooked the horse to his tow truck and gently lifted the odorous animal out of the tank without injury.

“We put him down in a hurry,” Simmons chuckled. “That horse started eating the minute we got him out of there.”

Simmons, 79, a South Whidbey native like his father before him, was reflecting on the 63-year career in the towing business that has earned him a place in the coveted International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame.

He’s one of only eight towing operators nationwide who will join the elite cadre this year at an induction ceremony Sept. 18 at the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Simmons was nominated for the honor by the travelers’ assistance group AAA, with which he has been associated for more than 60 years.

“How I ever got to get one of those spots, I’ll never know,” he said. “I guess AAA likes me.”

Since 1986, the towing organization has been honoring a small group of operators each year who have contributed to the image and success of the industry.

Simmons joins two operators from North Carolina, and one each from Florida, California, Idaho, Louisiana and Pennsylvania in the Class of 2010.

“This year’s inductees share a dedication to their state and local towing organizations as well as the national towing and recovery community,” said Rolfe Johnson, president of the hall of fame and museum.

“They share common strengths which have led to their nomination,” he said.

The International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum opened in 1995.

Chattanooga was chosen because the Ernest Holmes Co. built the first wreckers there in the early 1900s.

The museum features 18 antique tow trucks and other industry memorabilia, along with a special wing with photographs on the wall of all the inductees.

Simmons and the other new hall-of-famers will be honored throughout the September weekend. At the induction ceremony on Saturday night, they will be dressed alike in black slacks and blue jackets.

“And we’ll all be wearing yellow ties,” Simmons said. “It’s going to be quite a deal.”

Simmons and his brother Mel opened their vehicle repair garage in 1947, at its current location along Highway 525 at Humphrey Road, on the hill above the Clinton Ferry Terminal.

They soon added their first tow truck, a 1.5-ton Chevrolet with a hand winch on the back.

“When a car went into a ditch, we had a heck of a time getting it out with that,” Simmons said.

Simmons now has nine tow trucks, most of them parked in front of his house a short distance down Humphrey Road from the repair shop. The hand winches are long gone.

“My tow trucks are kind of a hobby,” Simmons said. “My wife says I never want to get rid of them because I love them so much.”

The Simmons brothers ran the business for years, until Mel sold his share to Gordon. Mel Simmons died recently.

Simmons and his six employees currently operate the business — actually two businesses. Simmons also owns AA Towing across the street from the garage.

Simmons’ son-in-law, Gary Peterson, is now his “Number 2,” and has taken over most of the middle-of-the-night calls, although Simmons himself still responds off-hours from time to time.

Simmons’ wife, Shirley, helps out with the phones, day or night.

Simmons said that through the years, almost every one of his customers has been pleasant to deal with, despite their distress.

“Once in a while, you get some ornery ones,” he said.

Besides the horse in the septic tank, he has assisted other animals that have gone down holes or become stuck in the mud.

“There have been some cows, but mostly it’s horses that get themselves in trouble,” he said.

The hall-of-fame nomination isn’t his first honor. This past year, he was named one of the Record’s Hometown Heroes for his contributions to his neighbors and his community.

Despite his age, Simmons plans to keep on doing what he’s doing, climbing in one of his trucks and rumbling to the aid of someone or something in trouble.

“It’s been a good business,” he said. “This is a bad time to try to sell, so I’m going to be here for a while longer. I hope.”

Everyday TX Tow Hero

Kudos to this unnamed tow truck driver who kept a drunk driver from killing someone else. Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of the pedestrian who was killed. Here's the story from the Houston Chronicle:

A pedestrian was killed after he was hit by a suspected drunken driver while crossing a north central Houston street early Sunday, authorities said.

Witnesses told police the man was crossing the street near Feagan and Durham around 6 p.m. when the driver of a white Dodge pickup traveling south on Durham hit the pedestrian, killing him, said Houston Police Department Vehicular Crimes Division Sgt. Steve Law. His identity is pending an autopsy.

The driver of the truck kept going before pulling over in the 400 block of Shepherd, where he was stopped by a wrecker driver who detained him until officers arrived.

Law said the driver, whose identity was not released, showed signs of intoxication at the scene and is expected to be charged with intoxication manslaughter.

No further information was immediately available and the case is still under investigation.

Tower's Hero

In late April, NY State Trooper Roy Ciancanelli was working an accident scene in Wappingers Falls with 70-year-old tow truck driver Vincent Paino. As the trooper was preparing to leave the scene, he noticed that Paino had collapsed.
According to the Poughkeepsie Journal story, “Ciancanelli called for emergency medical service and began cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on the unconscious Paino until the ambulance crew arrived. Paino was taken to the intensive care unit at St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital, Newburgh.”

And The Winner Is...

Dan Messina (left), STO Executive Board President, and Jess Horton (right), STO Executive Director, present the keys to the 2010 Ford Transit Connect to Michael Brashear (center), of M&D Towing, on
May 5, 2010.

Michael Brashear, of M & D Towing of Dallas, TX, was the winner of the 2010 Ford Transit Connect service vehicle raffled off during the 2010 Tow Expo International in Houston, TX, on May 1. Brashear had purchased the ticket online through the Southwest Tow Operators website. All proceeds benefited the "In the Line of Duty" Benevolent Fund sponsored by the Southwest Tow Operators and the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum Survivor Fund. In the past year, STO has issued more than eight checks to families of fallen towers across Texas.

Nova Scotia Man Awarded Over $92,000 From Towing Company For Injuries

Here's the story from the Chronicle Herald:

BRIDGEWATER — A Lunenburg County man who suffered permanent damage after his face and upper body were squashed between two garbage trucks has been awarded more than $92,000 in damages.

In a decision released Wednesday, Justice Peter Bryson said, "Carl Mawdsley is fortunate to be alive."

He said Mawdsley, a slight man who stands just five-foot-four and weighs 135 pounds, was climbing into the cab of a truck when his head was crushed between its door and the truck beside it.

Though the incident was "mercifully brief," Bryson said Mawdsley still suffers some ill effects today, nearly nine years after the accident.

Mawdsley, who lives in Upper Chelsea, sued McCarthy’s Towing & Recovery Ltd. and driver Byron McCarthy for damages after he became caught between the two garbage trucks, one of which McCarthy was in the process of towing away.

The incident happened Sept. 10, 2001. Mawdsley was picking up cardboard for recycling from a Lunenburg grocery store when his rear-loading garbage truck stalled. His employer, G.E. All Trucking Ltd. sent a replacement truck, which was parked besides Mawdsley’s stalled truck.

Byron McCarthy arrived to tow Mawdsley’s truck. He testified he checked his mirrors and didn’t see anyone between the trucks, but Mawdsley was between them and as the tow truck began pulling the stalled vehicle, Mawdsley’s head and torso were trapped between the two trucks.

A co-worker saw what was happening, yelled and McCarthy stopped the tow truck within seconds.

Mawdsley was taken to hospital in Lunenburg then flown by helicopter to Halifax where he spent 11 days in hospital. Among his injuries, he suffered a broken right lower jaw, a severed facial nerve that left him without feeling on the right side of his face, a puncture wound to his chest, two broken ribs and nerve damage to his left forearm.

He has had two jaw surgeries but his face is still asymmetrical. He has lost some sensitivity in his left arm, suffered mild brain trauma and is self-conscious about the scar that runs across the right side of his face. Mawdsley said he suffers pain, discomfort and fatigue when he does much physical work and while he can do most of the things he did before the accident, he said they take a lot longer.Bryson calculated total damages, taking into account lost earnings and diminished earning capacity, at $231,059.62. But he reduced the award to $92,423.85 because he ruled that Mawdsley was 60 per cent liable for the incident because he should have been aware, as he began walking between the two trucks, that the towed truck was being moved.

If he did not notice it moving he should have because "the distinctive hiss of the air brakes releasing would have been an ominous sign of impending movement by the tow truck," the judge said.

He said McCarthy was 40 per cent liable for the accident because he failed to continue checking his mirrors.

""If he had done so, he likely would have seen Mr. Mawdsley make his ill-advised move," Bryson said.

Farewell, Friend

Our condolences to the family and acquaintances of Colie Wilson, Jr., the co-founder of S&W Towing Services of GA. Wilson, 67, died on Monday, 5/17. Here's his obituary from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

As a young man, Colie Wilson Jr. spent many a day at local racetracks behind the wheel of his Ford truck or some roadster.

As a grandpa years later, he bought his 6-year-old grandson, Shane Sieg of Tucker, a go-kart to race. The youngster took to it and competed in a go-kart division that took him to events in Carnesville, Myrtle Beach and elsewhere. He won several divisional championships in races sanctioned by the World Karting Association.

Wherever he competed, grandma, grandpa and other relatives were in the stands cheering.

"He was very proud," said Joan Wilson, referring to her husband of 48 years. "We were at every single race. Even when {Mr. Wilson} was ill, we'd load him up and take him."

In the late 1990s, Mr. Wilson had heart surgery and in recent years had suffered two strokes. He also had vascular dementia, the second most common form of dementia behind Alzheimer's disease.

On Monday, Colie Wilson Jr. of Decatur died from complications of various illnesses at Odyssey House Hospice. He was 67. The funeral will be at 2 p.m. today at Rehoboth Baptist Church in Tucker. A.S. Turner & Sons is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Wilson was born in the Pearidge community of Decatur. He attended Rehoboth Elementary and was graduated from Clarkston High. After various jobs in construction and other fields, he and his son-in-law Rod Sieg founded S&W Towing Services, a business that has operated since 1982 and has locations in Tucker and Atlanta.

Besides racing in his younger days, Mr. Wilson liked to hunt and restore old cars. He had been tinkering with a 1968 Roadrunner that he didn't get to complete. His son, Tony Wilson of McDonough finished restoration of the canary roadster earlier this year.

Mr. Wilson loved spending time with his family and cherished the fact that he had the opportunity to race and see his grandsons follow in his footsteps.

That would be brothers Shane Sieg, 27, and Ryan Sieg, 23, both of Tucker. Today, they make up Sieg Racing and compete in NASCAR's Camping World Truck Series.

On May 14, they competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Dover 200 in Delaware. Ryan started in 21st place and finished 9th; Shane started 27th place and finished in 33rd, according to CBSSports.com.

Regardless of how they fared, Mr. Wilson would have been proud, his son said.

"When you look at pictures of him at the racetrack with them taken over the years, you can see the pride," he said.

Additional survivors include two daughters, Susan Bates and Pam Sieg, both of Decatur; four sisters, Sarah Pumo of Clarkston; Jeannette Martin of Snellville; Chee Chee Shulenberger of Decatur and Mary Godwin of Cumming; a brother, Henry H. Wilsonof Decatur; and six grandchildren.

Towing's Not His Only Game

Congrats to 31-year-old Zachary King, owner and operator of King's Wrecker Service in Clarksville, AK, who was fishing his way to the top during the BASS Federation: 2010 Central Divisional tournament! Here's the ESPN story:

Kimberling City, MO—It is no wonder why Zachary King considers Table Rock one of his favorite lakes in the country.

For the second straight day, King weighed in a 14-pound-plus limit (14-14) to take the lead in the BASS Federation Nation Central Divisional with 29 pounds, 3 ounces. The 31-year-old owner and operator of King's Wrecker Service in Clarksville, Ark., lives about 2 1/2 hours from Table Rock and usually fishes the lake two to three times a year. "I don't fish here a lot," said King. "I don't just come up here and play fish. Every time I come up here to fish it is for a tournament. This is one of my favorite lakes in the country because it is my style of fishing. I fish really fast and that is how you catch them here."

Competing in his ninth divisional, King has done a lot of running and gunning the last two days. "I'm fishing pretty close but I am probably running 60 miles a day," said King.

PHOTO GALLERY

Day Two Gallery

The Cabin Creek Bassmasters club member has made some adjustments this week to stay on his fish. "I was catching some fish moving slow baits and then I changed up the last day of practice," he said. "I am fishing some moving baits now but today I had to mix it up a little bit. I caught some moving slow baits and then some working hard baits."

Two competitions are rolled up into one tournament as the divisional contestants vie for individual and team honors. Twelve-man teams from eight states are battling for the top prize of the tournament, a Skeeter bass boat/Yamaha outboard rig worth $40,000. Oklahoma is still the leading team with an accumulative weight of 176 pounds, 7 ounces while Arkansas holds second with 158-9.

The Central Divisional anglers also have a shot at qualifying for the BASS Federation Nation Championship since each team's top finisher earns a berth to the ultimate event for amateur bass anglers. King's state teammates have to overtake the tournament leader to qualify for the championship. Other state leaders are Travis Tunnell (Kansas), Jaime Laiche (Louisiana), Randy Ladner (Mississippi), Greg Cooper (Missouri), Kenny Wasmund (Nebraska), Kyle Tudor (Oklahoma) and Tom Jessop (Texas).

Tomorrow's final weigh-in will determine the winners in the individual and team competitions and the Junior Bassmasters Central Divisional. The weigh-in begins at 2 p.m. CDST at Ahoy's at Kimberling Inn.