From Fatal Crashes to Legal Battles: This Week in Towing Industry Headlines

The dangers facing tow truck operators and the evolving strategies to protect them take center stage in this eye-opening episode of Towing News. We explore multiple tragic incidents, including a Kentucky case where a truck driver has been indicted for murder after allegedly watching YouTube videos before fatally striking tow operator Troy Caldwell. The driver now faces serious charges including evidence tampering and has a warrant out for his arrest after missing court appearances.

Our coverage extends globally with news of a devastating Mother's Day accident in South Africa that claimed nine lives when a tow truck rear-ended a vehicle carrying church members. These incidents underscore the critical importance of attentive driving and the vulnerability of roadside workers.

We also examine innovative enforcement approaches in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where authorities are tackling disruptive "X-Train" mobile parties through a new towing ordinance. This strategy allows police to immediately impound vehicles without court orders, imposing $300 fees on owners and creating a streamlined system for handling repeat offenders. The approach represents a significant shift from previous enforcement methods that often left officers outnumbered and unable to effectively disperse these gatherings.

The consequences of impaired driving are highlighted through the sentencing of Jason Guerin to 4-12 years for a crash that severely injured both a state trooper and tow truck driver in Malta, New York. We also provide practical hazmat response guidance from expert Perry Beatty, covering essential equipment requirements for towing professionals responding to accidents involving hazardous materials. His emphasis on being "combat ready" offers valuable insight for industry professionals seeking to improve their emergency response capabilities.

Listen now to understand the challenges facing the towing industry and the evolving strategies being implemented to protect workers and communities. Share your thoughts on these developments and let us know what safety measures you believe would most effectively protect roadside workers.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Wesley Wilburn and this is Towing News.
Now Our first story takes us toKentucky, in Bath County, where
a truck driver accused ofwatching YouTube before a deadly
crash indicted for murder oftow truck operator.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
The story is new.
At noon.
A Kentucky grand jury indicteda New York man for murder.
Shadman Yulyshev is accused ofhitting and killing a tow truck
driver, troy Caldwell.
The wreck happened on I-64 lastSeptember.
Ksp says Yulishev was watchingYouTube on a tablet when the
crash happened.
He was also indicted forevidence tampering.

(00:35):
Court records say he wasreleased but he didn't show up
to his court date last October.
He now has a warrant out forhis arrest.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
We pray for the family of the tow truck operator
and we'll keep you updated onthis case.
Our next story is aninternational story out of the
town of KwaZulu-Natal inMpangini, south Africa, where,
on Mother's Day, a tow truckrear-ended a backheel, resulting
in nine people perishing in ahorrific accident.
On 6.47 am, a horrific accidentclaimed the lives of nine

(01:06):
people, mostly mothers.
This accident, which happenedaround the N2 northbound on
Umtenzidin Toll Plaza, involveda tow truck and a Hyundai H1,
which was transporting 24members of the Zion Christian
Church.
They were traveling to DukudukuM Tubatuba and reports show
that the tow truck struck therear end of the Hyundai H1,

(01:30):
resulting in fatalities andserious injuries, and we all
wish them a speedy recovery,especially for all the families
and the members of the ZionChristian Church.
Now back to more stories in theStates.
This story is in KalamazooMichigan.
Back to more stories in theStates.
This story is in Kalamazoo,michigan, where police are now
tackling disruptive X-Trainparty of new towing techniques.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
Tonight, a new city ordinance in Kalamazoo could
finally put an end to mobilenuisance parties.
The large caravans of cars popup every summer, with drivers
blocking off neighborhoodstreets playing loud music at
all hours of the night.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
I'm Jessica Hardhorn.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
Good evening.
Thanks for joining us.
I'm Andy Dominiani.
These mobile nuisance partiesare also called X trains and
have been a problem plaguing thenorth side and downtown
Kalamazoo, especially fordecades.
This new ordinance will make iteasier for KDPS to impound the
cars that are involved.
News Channel 3's Autumn Pitcheris joining us live in Kalamazoo
Autumn police have beencombating and trying to prevent

(02:29):
these disruptive gatherings foryears, even using drones, as we
saw, but it sounds like thistowing idea could make a real
dent in the problem.

Speaker 5 (02:38):
Yes, last summer police had to get more
aggressive and they startedimpounding vehicles.
They tell me they impounded 23vehicles during mobile nuisance
parties.
But they say this approachoftentimes took a lot of time
and resources.
But they hope this newordinance that is going in front
of the city commission tonighthelps address those problems and

(03:00):
obstacles and finally put astop to mobile nuisance parties.
At two in the morning anofficer breaks up a mobile
nuisance party at a gas station.

Speaker 1 (03:13):
Car's getting towed.
Get out.
Yes, it is Get out out of thecar.

Speaker 5 (03:17):
It's what officers are up against.
Nearly every summer inKalamazoo, large groups of cards
parade through the north sideof town, blocking city streets,
revving their cars and blastingloud music at all hours of the
night.
Residents in the past have toldus it affects their quality of
life.

Speaker 8 (03:38):
It was too much going on in the middle of the night.

Speaker 7 (03:42):
It's really bad.
You got people Just up and downthe street all night in their
cars, drag racing, doing donutsin the middle of the street.

Speaker 5 (03:53):
Police have made efforts to make arrests on foot,
but officers are oftenoutnumbered.
They've also used drones withlicense plate readers to track
vehicles involved, but lastsummer their newest approach,
towing cars.
Police say it helped but took alot of time and resources.
A new proposal, however, goingin front of the City Commission,

(04:13):
would give police the authorityto impound cars right at the
scene without always needing acourt order.
Registered owners areresponsible for a hefty $300
towing fee, and if an officerbelieves a vehicle was involved
but are not able to impound iton the scene, they'll instead
issue a warning letter to theregistered vehicle owner.

(04:34):
If the vehicle is involved infuture incidents, officers can
impound it too.
Also, under the new ordinance,if officers have to search a
property for a vehicle theybelieve was involved, they can
do so by submitting a request tothe court for authorization.
Police did not do anyinterviews today because they
did not want to sway theopinions of commissioners.

(04:55):
Now commissioners will becasting their final vote on the
ordinance at tonight's meetingthat will begin at 7 pm.
Now, if this ordinance ispassed, it will take into effect
in 10 days.
We will have a crew attonight's meeting and be sure to
bring you the very latest.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
Our other story takes us to Malta, new York, where a
man was served four to 12 yearsfor a crash that injured a
trooper and tow truck driver onthe side of the road.

Speaker 6 (05:21):
A man from Malta will spend at least 12 years and as
many as 14 behind bars for acrash that nearly killed a state
trooper and tow truck driverlast fall.
Jason Guerin pleaded guilty toaggravated vehicular assault.
State police say he had drugsin his system when he crashed
into the pair on the Northwaynear exit 6 in Colony.
The trooper had stopped adriver whose car was being towed

(05:43):
.
Guerin spoke for more thanthree minutes in court today,
apologizing to trooper NicholasAbendola and tow driver Brett
Dempsey.

Speaker 9 (05:52):
I alone deserve the pain and suffering.

Speaker 5 (05:54):
And I am so sorry and absolutely hate myself for
making that piss-poor, stupid,selfish, reckless, idiotic
decision.
I'm sorry and I don't dare askyou for forgiveness.

Speaker 10 (06:04):
Every day, the troopers take their lives into
their own hands just doing theirroutine jobs, and how important
it is for us as prosecutors andas their fellow troopers.
We need to support one another,and everybody out on the road
needs to slow down and watch outfor troopers and for crying out
loud.
Do not get behind the wheel ifyou're intoxicated.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Right up to this sentencing, I think it shows how
serious impaired driving istaken in this county especially.
We are very grateful thatTrooper Amendola survived this
incident.

Speaker 10 (06:36):
He will live with it for the rest of his life.

Speaker 6 (06:39):
O'Garon stayed at the scene after the crash.
He had previous DWI charges.
The trooper and truck driverare still recovering from those
injuries.
Nearly 40 state troopers werein court today as a show of
support.

Speaker 9 (06:57):
This is Towing News Now.
Responder Network, gearedtoward the touring and recovery
industry with equipment andtraining for those individuals
that respond to accidents, thathave fuel spills, cargo mishaps,
helping them attain thatbusiness through hazmat

(07:18):
certification put forth throughOSHA.

Speaker 7 (07:22):
Here's your Hazmat hint of the week with Perry
Bating Perry.
We've had a lot of listenersask us what are the basic
requirements for equipment?

Speaker 9 (07:32):
Well, to respond and be equipped properly, you need
to have absorbent material forfluids.
There are absorbent materialsfor hydrocarbons, for acids,
some that soaks up all thefluids, some that'll let the
water pass, and all you'regetting is the impurities plug

(07:52):
and patch kits, bales of wheat,straw, grass, seed, so you can
go back and reseed what soil youhad to treat and possibly
excavate and haul away.
When it comes to personalprotective equipment, you need
eye protection, splash suits,particle mask or respirator, eye

(08:15):
wash, reflective clothing whichis mandatory on the highway
safety helmet, different typesof gloves.
When it comes to the equipment,fluid pumps, overpacked drums
Of course it's going to take anair compressor with air hoses,
stovals and rakes.
These have to be what's calledintrinsically safe, so that when

(08:39):
you're using them you don'tcause sparks, and also
spark-resistant hand tools, fillcontainment tools.
Then going back to skid steeror backhoe with a dump truck or
roll-off containers, powersweeper that enables you to

(08:59):
sweep the pavement.
And once you get all that puttogether and understand what
it's going to take, I highlypromote enclosed trailers over
other apparatus to haul theequipment.

Speaker 7 (09:13):
I was going to ask about that because then it's
something you could pack awayand restock at the end of the.
So you do a cleanup and you usea lot of product for that
cleanup.
When you go back you could justrestock it and you're ready for
the next.

Speaker 9 (09:28):
Exactly.

Speaker 7 (09:29):
Okay.

Speaker 9 (09:29):
Yeah, and I call that being combat ready.
If you have to get ready,you're not ready, that's right.

Speaker 7 (09:36):
All right, there's your Hazmat Hand of the Week
with Perry.
Beatty Perry, let everybodyknow how to reach you.

Speaker 9 (09:42):
You can contact me on my toll-free number,
877-356-9767, or email me directat perry at hazmatrncom.
That's Perry.
P-e-r-r-y phasmatrnH-A-Z-M-A-T-R-Ncom.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
Next is a follow-up to a past story out of Billings,
Montana, where now a judge hasclaimed that Anderson Towing
must be back into the towingtruck rotation in the city.

Speaker 11 (10:21):
A Montana judge has agreed to temporarily place
Anderson Towing back on the city.
A Montana judge has agreed totemporarily place Anderson
towing back on the city ofBillings Police Department's
rotation list after a string ofcomplaints accusing the company
of overcharging for tows.
We first reported back in Marchabout a Bozeman Hardware
Company filing a complaintagainst Anderson for being
overcharged thousands of dollarsafter a crash.

(10:42):
The city suspended Andersonfrom their rotation.
After the state's tow truckresolution complaint committee
removed them from the highwaypatrol's rotation, anderson
attorneys agreed that the cityviolated the company's due
process rights and Judge DonaldMalloy agreed granting a
preliminary injunction to placethem back on the list pending

(11:04):
final resolution of the case.
Well, anderson's compliancemanager, rob Lem, says quote
we're glad to be back in therotation.
If we would have had the chanceto discuss with the city it
would have cleared things up andit wouldn't have gone this way.

Speaker 8 (11:19):
There you go, the most recent news on the brand
new Towing News Channel.
I'll see you next week withmore information on the latest
news in our industry.