Posts by Editorial Staff
Memorial Procession Planned for Arizona Tow Operator
A memorial procession of tow trucks will take place Sunday, June 23, in Armado, Ariz., for tow operator Richard Struble. Struble, 57, was killed along with his customer Ramon Murrillo III, 32, on June 11. Struble was assisting Murrillo with his vehicle when a vehicle travelling at a high rate of speed went out of…
Read MoreSuspect in Murder of California Tow Operator Could Face Death Penalty
Pacifica, Calif., resident Malik Dosouqi, 26, could face the death penalty in the slayings of tow truck operator John Pekipaki and taxi driver Abdulmalek Nasher. Nasher was killed Monday, June 17, in San Mateo County, Calif. Pekipaki was killed the following night in the same area. Both men were responding to late night calls for…
Read MoreUSAC/MD Raises Over $16,700 for The Survivor Fund
The month of April means two things in our industry, the Florida Tow Show and the Annual USAC/MD Charity Golf Classic. This year TomTom Telematics became a co-title sponsor of the event which raised more than $15,000 for the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum’s Survivor Fund. Over 60 road service professionals…
Read MoreTow Buddy for Towing Bobtail Trucks
The Tow Buddy is a heavy-duty wrecker fifth-wheel hitch with a kingpin. It can be easily mounted on the wrecker’s wheel-lift crossbar in less than a minute. Simply back the wrecker up with the Tow Buddy’s kingpin into the fifth wheel of a bobtail truck and the rear end of the truck can be lifted.…
Read MoreCome Face to Face With OOIDA at the Summit
The Towing & Recovery Management Summit, hosted by Tow Times magazine, has invited Mike Matousek, director of government affairs at the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), to be the main guest at this year’s closing session. Matousek will discuss OOIDA’s national campaign for increased government oversight of the pricing practices of the non-consensual segment of the towing industry. Under Matousek, OOIDA has aggressively…
Read MoreThoughts and Comments
The Wisconsin Towing Association recently sent out a survey titled, “Tell Us About Your Company.” The survey included the usual company information: Name, address, and a brief company history, along with an opportunity to comment on lessons learned, the biggest misconceptions of tow operators, training and certification, and final thoughts. As I read the responses,…
Read MoreCalifornia Tow Operator Stabbed to Death Answering Late-Night Call
A tow operator responding to a late-night call Tuesday, June 18, in San Mateo County, California, was found stabbed to death. According to a news report on KTVU Fox2 news, John Pekipaki, 31, of South Bay was discovered by sheriff’s deputies as the mortally-injured operator yelled for help. Deputies were near the scene as they…
Read MoreMan Sought in Deadly Hit-and-Run Has Previous Arrest Warrant
The man suspected of driving the BMW that crashed into a tow operator, his customer and the operator’s tow truck on June 10 in Tucson, Ariz., has a warrant out for his arrest for violating parole in an aggravated assault case. Police Justin Lang, 32, is being sought by police in connection with the deadly…
Read MoreTowing Operator Safety and More
The Tow Times June issue focuses on safety with top 10 crash avoidance tips, teaching safety in the workplace and safety measures towing operators can use on the job. This issue also includes a look at how tires are a critical foundation for any tow truck. Tire selection, maintenance and brands are some of the…
Read MoreTow Operators Rescue Man from North Carolina Floodwaters
Two tow operators are in the news after rescuing a man trapped on the roof of his car surrounded by rushing floodwaters in Jamestown, N.C. According to news reports, the two drivers, Danny Ward and Phillip Alston, were driving back to their shop in the early morning darkness on June 8 when they saw vehicle…
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