August 6, 2025 • 37 mins
The mental health crisis claiming America's youth has reached epidemic proportions, and it's happening in families from all backgrounds. Our recent podcast delves into this growing tragedy that's claiming lives through addiction, overdoses, and suicide at an alarming rate.
We explore how even "good families" with strong support systems are losing young people to these devastating outcomes. The conversation reveals how COVID isolation accelerated the crisis by depriving developing minds of crucial socialization opportunities that build coping mechanisms and resilience.
The fentanyl epidemic emerges as a central villain in this story. This synthetic opioid, frequently used to lace other substances, makes drugs exponentially more dangerous – as evidenced by the heartbreaking story of seven West Point cadets who died after taking what they believed was Tylenol. Today's drugs are significantly more potent than previous generations, creating deadly situations even for first-time or casual users.
Perhaps most troubling is how we respond as communities. When families lose someone to addiction or suicide, they often face ostracism rather than compassion. Some communities turn away from these families at their time of greatest need, while others simply "put their heads in the sand," unable to confront the reality that such tragedies could happen to anyone.
The most powerful takeaway is a call to action: if you see someone struggling, reach out without judgment. The people who appear to be doing well might be fighting the hardest battles behind closed doors. A simple act of kindness could make all the difference. Don't be afraid to tell people you love them, give them a hug, and be there when they need support.
Join us as we examine this critical issue affecting communities nationwide and discuss how compassion might be our most powerful tool in addressing America's youth mental health crisis.
This episode ends with Industry News, stay informed with Towing News Now
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
you're on the train to success with April and Wes
Wilburn.
I'm DJ Harrington, the co-host,better known as the Toe Doctor.
We're all on our way to thetown of proper towing and
recovery, along with ourproducer, chuck Camp, in the
studio.
Don't go to the town of woulda,coulda, shoulda.
You coulda had done this.
(00:28):
You should have done that.
Listen every week tothought-provoking wisdom from
great guests iTunes, pandora,stitcher, iheartmedia or the
number one podcast, or maybeAmazon or wherever you get your
(00:50):
podcasts.
Turn in on Wednesday and beturned on all week long.
If you are a state associationand want your announcements or
upcoming state association newsannouncements or upcoming state
association news, or maybe aco-show that's coming up, let us
know.
Our podcast studio phone numberis 706-409-5603.
(01:14):
I'm proud to be part of a greatteam at the American Dorm
Recovery Institute.
Let's make 2025 our best yearever.
I will turn it to April andRich.
Alright, dj, thanks so much asalways.
I appreciate the kind words.
I appreciate all the effort youput into this podcast.
I can't thank you enough fordragging me into the 21st
(01:37):
century and being involved inthis podcast with you.
I really am appreciative ofthat.
April, how are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:46):
I'm doing pretty good .
I actually just got back from alittle trip.
I really am appreciative ofthat April.
How are you today?
I'm doing pretty good.
I actually just got back from alittle trip, a little like a
sales trip, because I am the newtowing equipment direct person.
So I spent a little bit of timein Virginia for a few days on
the disarounds and seeing somepeople, so I'm happy to be home.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Well, it's good to have you home.
Absolutely happy to be home.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Well it's good to have you home, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Um, we're in the middle of the heat wave here, uh
, getting geared up for a bigfall.
We got a lot of schools planned.
Uh, we'll, of course, do it runthrough our schedule here in a
minute but, yeah, things aregood here, short of the heat
wave, and it looks like we'rejust a couple days away from the
heat, going from about aconstant 95, 98, 100 degrees
(02:29):
here in north carolina down toit's going to be in the low 80s.
So we're really looking forforward to that this weekend as
well.
A lot of stuff going on in theindustry we had a great
interview plan for today butunfortunately the interview that
(02:51):
canceled for professionalreasons we had a big week with
uh.
In the news that went with newyork city, the uh government the
other night I was going to addto that that.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
That um, the night I was going to add to that that.
That, um, the thing thathappened in new york city, I
guess can happen anywhere usa,um, but it does seem to happen
in the bigger cities more thanit does in some of these
southern states, and again itcould happen well, you know what
happens in northern states too,but when you're in a place like
michigan, where uh folks, uhfolks have a different attitude
(03:28):
about guns and how they'rehandled, and I'm not gun crazy
by any stretch, but I believethe best way to stop a bad guy
with a gun is a good guy with agun.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And the person in Michigan this weekend at the
Walmart stabbing people with aknife wasn't a person with a bad
guy with a gun, but it was acrazy person with a knife.
I think it was what nine or 11people that were injured with
that knife.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
He got a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
And citizens took action.
One of them was properly armed,knew what to do, knew how to do
it, and when you watch thatvideotape, that was a couple
different citizens comingtogether and taking control of
the situation, got the bad guyto stop stabbing people.
They not only did that, theydisarmed them and neutralized
(04:15):
them.
I would say, getting them onthe ground for police to get
there.
You saw that, didn't you, dj?
Yes, I did.
And you know I want to bring upsomething of the.
I saw the one where thestabbing took place in michigan.
But the one that really got mewas the police officer working a
(04:36):
second job, because when youfirst become a police officer
your pay is not that highofficer, your pay is not that
high.
So he is also working a secondjob, dressed in his uniform, and
, of course, the gunman, who haddriven three days from Vegas
all the way to New York, got inthere, shot him, shot an
(05:03):
executive from a finance companywas getting on the elevator and
, course, committed suicidehimself.
But this is something to thinkabout.
You know, our listeners havehelped with tunnel to towers and
tunnel to towers today made anannouncement that they are going
to help this guy with his taxes.
He already had paid off hishome isn't that incredible.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
I heard heard that today too, dj Frank Stiller was
on Fox and he was working asecond job, but his home was
already paid for.
Yes, that's just incredible.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
So Frank Stiller is going to help with that.
He has two children and he hadone in the oven so he has one in
the oven, and so Tunnel toTowers is going to help that
family, continuously making suretheir taxes are paid every year
, making sure that the childrenare going to school, and if they
need anything, tunnel to Towersis going to be there.
(05:59):
That's the reason why they askfor $11 a month, and millions of
families do $11 a month and ithelps cases like this.
So I want to thank our listeners, but, wes, I'm prepared that
when we, after we take our breakand come back, I'm prepared to
(06:20):
talk what you would like to talkabout.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
So I'm going to just say one thing, which is going to
go into our second segment tosome extent the two things that
happened, the one in Michiganand the one in New York- you
there is something obviouslyvery wrong with you to give you
the capacity to even do thateither one is the one of them
stabbing, stabbing people Idon't even know what it takes to
(06:45):
do something like that andshooting people.
In our second segment we'regoing to talk a little bit about
something else, but we do havea huge final crisis issue in
america, and the one reason wehave it is because I think
compassion is a wonderful thing,but sometimes, when we're too
compassionate, it leaves toomuch leeway, um, for somebody
(07:06):
who needs help not to get it.
And I don't know with thegentleman that did what he did,
or the guy in michigan who didwhat he did.
I don't know if there were anysigns beforehand, but I I I'm
gonna bet that there was yeah,um, I mean, it's just a tough
situation all the way around.
(07:26):
Absolutely Go to Walmart or goto New York City and you don't
know, you know it happens.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Things like this happen all over America.
And one of the things to keepin mind is New York City in
particular, and New York Statein general, has very aggressive
gun laws.
So there's all the gun lawsstopping people from doing this
type of thing, but whensomeone's ready to kill somebody
(07:55):
gun laws mean nothing to them.
They mean absolutely nothing.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
It also hinders a law-abiding person from
protecting themselves fromsomebody else that wants to do
them harm.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Yeah absolutely.
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Well, if you're law-abiding, you're law-abiding,
so you don't own a gun, becauseyou are not allowed to in New
York City.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Wes off the air.
You and I talked aboutsomething very serious because
we have friends that haveoverdosed and they took their
own lives, and some notintentionally, but some have.
So I'm going to turn it over toyou and april started and then
(08:38):
I will blend in with you as wego.
Well, this conversation startedbecause recently I know three
different people in my extendedfamily when I say said the
family, I consider the towingindustry, my family.
That have been great.
And let me back up.
There's been three differentpeople that I know in that
(09:00):
extended group of friends and ofcourse, nowadays with Facebook
and whatnot, they keep up betterwith people, what they're doing
, what's going on in their lives.
And three different people Iknow have been affected
tremendously by what I'm goingto have to call an epidemic for
young people and when I sayyoung people teenage to their
(09:23):
20s is what I'm talking Eithercommitting suicide being drug
addicted and overdosing.
And these are good kids comingfrom good families.
Some of it's being affected byfentanyl, some of it's being
affected by other stuff.
But there's, an epidemic ofwe're losing a lot of young
(09:48):
people, a lot of young people.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
So I think that is I'm with Wes on this.
This is a lot.
True, it's been going on for along time, but it does seem to
be ramped up these last fewyears and there's a lot of
speculation as to why that mightbe now.
One of them was coded when wewere very isolated as adults.
(10:15):
You can handle that because youhave moving mechanisms, you
have social skills which youcan't.
We just kind of to protect them, we didn't let them socialize
the way that they would havenormally had they been going to
school, going on play dates andfurther isolating this next
(10:36):
generation that's coming up.
I think that's the gasolinethat's on the, that we already
put on the fire.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I don't know, there's a lot, and you know I'm talking
drugs overdose, but it's alsosuicide.
I don't know if this is the oneI just saw.
I was connected with somebodythat I know Also.
I just saw on a local Facebookgroup here in Fayetteville,
north Carolina.
I think the group's calledwhat's Happening in Fayetteville
(11:02):
Now or something to that effectpolice responding to a call two
young parents, I think it wastheir early 20s in a car passed
out overdosed from heroin.
I believe it was with twochildren in the car, and the
police took care of the childrenuntil the grandparents could
(11:22):
arrive, took care of thechildren till the grandparents
could arrive.
And again, I think it's formany reasons the whole opium
epidemic, the use of them forpainkillers.
There's just a lot going on.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
There's a lot going on.
And also I know I've heard ittoo, and I don't know if this is
true, but I've heard it that adrug from 30 years ago is a lot
more potent today with what theylace it with.
So fentanyl is something thatAmerica is trying to combat.
(11:58):
That's why some of that borderissue is more of an issue than
just illegals coming over.
It's also the fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a very inexpensiveway to lace this stuff and amp
it up and make it more addictive.
And so when you're alreadytaking something that might be
lethal if you do too much of it,but if you do a little bit, not
so bad and you add thatfentanyl in it, what you're
doing is just amplifying theeffect of it and you're
(12:21):
amplifying the locality of ithey, wes.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
I want to tell our listeners April and I talked
about the seven West Pointcadets that had rented a home
down in Fort Myers, florida, andthis was last year.
I want to tell the listenerstwo of my brothers have
graduated from the Naval Academy.
(12:46):
One graduated third in hisclass, the other graduated 33rd
in his class.
The one who graduated 33rdbecame an astronaut.
And the one who became thethird graduate, he was number
one until he fell in love and hebecame then number three.
He fell off his book knowledge.
But the seven cadets from WestPoint a family member rented a
(13:11):
home in Fort Myers, florida andit was a gorgeous home on the
beach.
They all went out and partiedone night and they had too many
beers, beers.
They went home and the onecadet said hey, there's some
Tylenol in the cabinet.
(13:31):
They thought nothing of itbecause it read Tylenol and
every one of them died the nextday of fentanyl poisoning.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
Wow, day of fentanyl poisoning.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
They had laced the Tylenol with fentanyl, put it in
a container and the poor familythat rented the house felt so
bad that in the medicine cabinetwas Tylenol laced with fentanyl
.
And all seven cadets from WestPoint passed away.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Yeah, that fentanyl is definitely a big attribute in
.
It was terrible yeah there's aroot cause that's beyond that
that we need nationally to delveinto, and that's why is this
addiction thing, you know,getting so much more and
(14:32):
happening so much more.
But fentanyl, definitely, likeI said, it's the gas on the fire
already.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
So let's just hang around and we'll take a quick
break.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
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We look forward to serving you.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Welcome back listeners.
Of course you know you'relistening to the new Towing News
Channel.
We are over 20,000 listenersnow, so I want to thank all of
you.
On behalf of Wes April myself,I want to thank you because this
is really having over 20,000listeners every week is
(17:18):
wonderful.
Remember to like, review andshare everywhere.
So, without further ado, let mesend you back.
Thank you, dj.
There's probably many reasonsfor these problems and Lord
knows, I don't have you know allthe problems, much less the
answers.
But I do know if you seesomeone in your circle, your
(17:40):
community, especially if you'reclose with them.
But even if you're not, reachout and talk to them.
If you see someone in crisis,try to help them.
Don't be judgmental.
When a family loses a youngchild, a young person, to
addiction, sometimes it seemssome communities do not rally
around that family and supportthem.
(18:01):
They're more ostracized.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
Ostracized yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Them and maybe even ridicule some.
I've seen it happen to the mostupright standard family.
I've seen it happen to peoplefrom all walks of life and all
classes of life.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
Yeah, yeah.
Sometimes it's being ostracizedand sometimes it's kind of
putting your head in the sandtoo.
You don't want to see whathappens to another family and
think about this could actuallyhave happened to mine.
But that's not a fair thing todo to your family because you
may be able to see signs withthat that you may see in your
own family that you could kindof get ahead of it is.
(18:46):
It is an epidemic.
It is something like I saidthat there's many causes and
there's many reasons for it.
Sometimes it it can happen in afamily that's a good family
that never had that situation.
Sometimes it's in that familyand that's what you see, and
that's what you a family that'sa good family and never had that
situation.
Sometimes it's in that familyand that's what you see and
that's what you're around,that's what you're used to and
(19:07):
it becomes a normal thing andyou, I think you think when
you're younger, you're nevergoing to turn into that person,
you're never going to be likethat, and it's just too easy to
reach out for that, whateverthat drug is, or whatever the
alcohol is, as a self-medicatingtype of a thing.
And then there's the middle,there's the mental health issue
that we have.
That I think that we alsoeither ostracize or we put our
(19:30):
head in the sand about that.
We don't want to see, but it isa thing that's happening
there's, just like teen suicide,the same thing Most of the time
.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
when you see that happen to a family, it'd be some
of the last folks you suspect,but you never know what's going
on with people.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
You don't ever know what's going on with people.
You see what you see whenyou're out in public with them.
You don't know what happens.
There's a whole world andthere's a whole universe that
goes on when you go into yourhouse and you close that door.
Um, you run, you have a wife,you have kids, you have.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
There's all the things that are happening if
they another person doesn't seeso one of the things I'm going
to strongly suggest is try toreach out to folks and give them
some support and, um, if yousee someone that you think,
might be in a crisis situation,see if you can't, as a friend,
delicately approach it anddefinitely if something happens
(20:28):
to people in your circle,whether they're close or not so
close, you should try to besupportive, supportive as you
can.
Again, I've seen it happen toall kinds of people.
All kinds of people from allkinds of different walks of life
, economic status, et cetera.
(20:48):
It could happen anywhere in theUSA, anytime in the.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
USA.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I know it's kind of a depressing subject, but it's
something we've got to talkabout, something as a society
we're dealing with more and moreeach day, and there's a lot
more pressures out there.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
it seems like we have a lot more at our fingertips
and a lot more accessibility tocommunity assistance and things,
but with that comes pressureand stress too.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
So don't be afraid to tell people in your life you
love them, give them a hug, tellthem you care about them and be
there for them.
Hey, thanks, Wes.
This has been a great podcast.
Wow, let's jump right over tothe Towing News.
Now desk for the latest intowing news.
Speaker 9 (21:33):
I'm Wesley Wilburn and this is Towing News.
Now We'll start this segmentwith towing reform happening
around state houses across thecountry.
A new Connecticut law providescomprehensive towing reform in
the state House.
Bill 7162 starts with a towingbill of rights.
The Department of MotorVehicles Commissioner will
develop the bill of rights bythe end of August.
(21:55):
As of October 1st, towingcompanies must make available
the bill of rights to the public.
Another provision overrides thecurrent DMVlished rate schedule
for medium and heavy-dutynon-consensual tows.
In its place, the agency isresponsible for establishing a
new rate schedule.
Starting July 1st, temporaryrates will be placed for
(22:17):
medium-duty, heavy-duty andoversized overweight vehicles.
The temporary rates will beused until the new rate schedule
is established.
The DMV is required to createseparate rate schedules for
private property, trespasstowing and police-ordered towing
.
There will no longer be oneschedule for all non-consensual
towing.
Maximum hour waits that couldbe charged for heavy-duty
(22:40):
non-consensual tow will be $700per hour.
The amount is up from thecurrent $390 rate.
It includes recovery.
Rates are required to bereconsidered and potentially
amended every three years.
Next, in Arkansas, state lawpermits a towing or storage
company to hold a vehicle for alien or claim for unpaid towing
(23:04):
and storage fees.
The new law permits vehicleowners to get their cargo
returned for a fee.
The new rule ensures thattowers will get 20% of the value
of truck cargo up front.
They can still have a lien onthe cargo.
Also covered in the new law isa process to file towing
complaints.
Towing services must include oninvoices notice of the state's
(23:25):
compliance system.
Services must include oninvoices notice of the state's
compliance system.
The new rule takes effect July1st.
The new rule requiresnotification prominently printed
in bold letters at the bottomof each invoice to include the
phone number and web address ofthe Arkansas Towing Recovery
Board.
The towing board is also beingoverhauled.
An emergency clause immediatelyremoved all nine existing board
(23:46):
members.
The new law stipulates that theboard must include one member
who represents the truckingindustry, another member who
represents the commercialtrucking insurance industry.
In Illinois a bill is heading toGovernor JB Pritzker's desk
targeting bad actors in thetowing.
Senator Selina Villanueva ofChicago introduced a bill that
(24:09):
she described as going aftertowing operators to ignore
penalties and continue operatingunder new business names.
House and Senate lawmakersapproved a bill that would allow
the commission to impound towtrucks of unpaid fines.
Senate Bill 2040 would alsopermit the state to suspend
plates from tow trucks of unpaidfines.
In addition, fraudulent towerswill be denied from tow trucks
(24:30):
of unpaid fines.
In addition, fraudulent towerswill be denied from obtaining
new licenses for three years.
One more provision would forbidtow truck operators from
placing liens on essentialpersonal property left in a
towed vehicle.
North Carolina House Bill 472would outlaw immobilization of a
commercial vehicle for parkingenforcement purposes.
The ban would apply to anydeviceization of a commercial
vehicle for parking enforcementpurposes.
The ban would apply to anydevice such as a boot.
(24:51):
Violators would face a Class 2misdemeanor charge.
Vining court costs for suchoffense can top to $430.
Including the bill is aprovision for return of cargo.
A tow company involved in anon-consensual or
government-initiated tow wouldbe required to return any
commercial cargo to the truckdriver or owner of the cargo.
(25:12):
Upon request.
A trailer swap would bepermitted under the condition
that a different trailer is ofsimilar type, that is in working
condition and was manufacturedwithin five years of the
manufacturing date of theoriginal trailer or newer, as
arranged by the cargo company.
The bill errates considerationin the Senate Rules and
Operations Committee.
(25:32):
Lastly, a Pennsylvania bill isintended to make it easier to
get a large truck to a preferredfacility for service.
Trucks requiring emergencyservice can be towed to a nearby
garage or other place of safety.
Sponsored by RepresentativeStephanie Bowarix, the bill is
described as easing regulationson the towing industry to allow
for safer operating procedures.
(25:53):
House Bill 188 would permit atruck tractor with up to two
trailers that require emergencyservice to be towed to a
location of the owner's choosingor other places of safety off a
highway.
The change would also apply tooverweight combinations, as long
as the tow truck travelsdirectly to the place of repairs
or places of safety.
(26:13):
She said the bill would easeregulations on tow truck drivers
and increase safety on roadsacross the Commonwealth.
The House bill is now in theHouse Transportation Committee.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Tow truck operators from the Metro say it's time to
fight back.
One impound company is filingsuit against the city, saying
new restrictions will force themto break the law.
Fox 4 News has been followingthis story for you for months.
Sean McDowell takes us toSmithville now, where tow truck
operators say this is not fair.
Speaker 11 (26:45):
Kansas City's private party impound is filing
lawsuit against Kansas City andJackson County.
That company's owners say theyhave the support of at least 20
other metro towing and impoundoperators.
A new Kansas City ordinancemeant to lessen predatory towing
will force impound companies toface liability of their own.
The lawsuit says tow companieswill now be forced to release
(27:07):
cars to people who don't ownthem.
Kansas City Council membersapproved the new ordinance May
1st, but it won't take effectuntil the first day of 2026.
The council says it heardnumerous complaints from the
public about predatory towing.
Speaker 12 (27:19):
The rule puts private businesses in a position
where we're regulated out ofbusiness.
Speaker 11 (27:26):
Private party impound operator, jay Bloodworth
, contends the new ordinancewould potentially allow
impounded cars to be stolen bypeople who aren't registered
owners.
The lawsuit also says thisordinance conflicts with
Missouri statutes regardingtowing.
Speaker 12 (27:39):
If we have to release a vehicle to someone
that is not the owner of thevehicle, then we open ourselves
up to all kinds of lawsuits andwe actually are violating state
law by doing that up to allkinds of lawsuits and we
actually are violating state lawby doing that.
Speaker 11 (27:52):
On May 13th, bloodworth was arrested as part
of an investigation by theMissouri Department of Revenue
into allegations of illegaltowing.
Drivers from other towcompanies, like Ron Rogers from
GT Towing in Smithville, believeBloodworth's lawsuit is
justified.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
The law has as they've written.
It is allowing us to release avehicle to anybody, not the
registered owner, and why wouldwe want to give somebody's car
to them if it's not theirs?
Speaker 11 (28:20):
Also on Wednesday.
A Kansas City spokespersontells Fox 4 News the city does
not comment on pendinglitigation.
The first courtroom appearanceregarding this case is coming up
on October 7th.
Sean McDowell Fox, fox 4working for you.
Speaker 6 (28:33):
So police are now investigating another Kansas
City towing company.
An employee with Max towingtells Fox 4 police raided it
this week.
Investigators continue to crackdown on alleged predatory
impound companies.
Speaker 11 (28:45):
One employee told me on Friday that the staff at Max
towing in East Kansas Citydidn't expect a Wednesday
morning visit from Kansas Citypolice investigators.
A KCPD spokesperson said onFriday that one car was taken
from that impound lot onWednesday.
One neighbor says this sectionof Doctor Martin Luther King
Blvd outside Max towing slot wasfilled with police cars on
(29:06):
Wednesday morning.
Fox 4 News is aware of a viralvideo clip that shows that right
as it happened.
Kcpd Sergeant Phil DiMartinosays several items of interest
were taken in addition to thatconfiscated car as part of a
follow up to a previous inquirypolice conducted.
The police spokespersoncouldn't elaborate, though.
On Friday morning Fox 4 Newsapproached employees at Max
(29:30):
towing but they locked the gateson us and refused to answer our
questions.
Kansas City police have directedtheir attention toward
allegations of illegal towingpractices since May 1st.
Kansas City Mayor Quentin Lucasand Jackson County Prosecutor
Melissa Johnson worked togetheron new ordinances to crack down
on impound companies afterhearing complaints from the
public.
Ordinances to crack down onimpound companies.
(29:51):
After hearing complaints fromthe public, the Missouri
Department of Revenue'sinvestigation into private party
impound led to the arrest ofcompany owner Jay Bloodworth,
who faces charges of forgingdocuments related to towing
calls.
Bloodworth continues to denythese accusations.
Fox 4 News also attempted tocontact Max Towing's owner via
telephone on Friday.
We haven't heard back fromanyone yet.
On Friday afternoon aspokesperson for the Jackson
(30:13):
County Prosecutor's Office couldnot confirm as to whether or
not an investigation into Mack'stowing's practices was being
conducted.
However, an overall inquiryinto allegations of illegal
towing at various locations inthe metro continues.
Speaker 9 (30:28):
Next story is in Horn Lake, Mississippi, where a man
suits tow truck driver while hiscar is being repossessed.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Horn Lake police investigators looking for a man
they say pulled the trigger in aSunday shooting.
Marshawn Colbert is wanted foraggravated assault and
authorities say you need toconsider him armed and dangerous
.
You need to consider him armedand dangerous.
Colbert is said to have shot aman who came to repossess his
vehicle after an argument overthe driver towing a car.
The incident happened in theparking lot of the shopping
(30:58):
center on Interstate Boulevard.
A woman was also hurt when thecar fell off the tow truck.
Following the shooting, she'sexpected to be okay.
The repo driver is in criticalcondition.
Speaker 9 (31:10):
Next story is in Florida, where a tow truck
driver was able to leadinvestigators on a month-long
investigation for a driver on ahit-and-run crash in Melbourne.
Speaker 6 (31:20):
An 18-month-old hit-and-run case was cracked
thanks to the help of a repodriver.
Speaker 13 (31:26):
They've been working so hard to bring justice to the
family of a 23-year-old.
They needed Takaya Hardy's DNAto put her behind the wheel of
the car in that crash.
They could not find her, though, and then that repo driver
showed up and gave them aworkaround.
Speaker 9 (31:42):
Her leaving high rate of speed after she struck
someone down in downtownMelbourne is kind of concerning
to me as a danger to thecommunity.
Speaker 13 (31:48):
Takaya.
Hardy's arrest and her $100,000bond took 18 months and several
strokes of luck forinvestigators who struggled to
prove she was behind the wheelwhen her car hit 23-year-old
Andrew Sofranco on Christmasmorning, 2023, leaving his newly
married father to mourn.
Documents show the first bit ofluck came from them finding the
car quickly tracing it to anapartment complex moments before
(32:11):
a tow truck, they say Hardyhired tried to take it away, but
they couldn't prove she wasbehind the wheel until a repo
driver came to their impound lot.
Investigators say that drivershowed them a GPS tracker the
dealership hid inside the car,which let them trace the car's
movements and match its locationto Hardy's cell phone, putting
both at the scene of the crashand leading to her arrest.
(32:34):
The documents show Hardy had agreen light when the crash
happened, so the trouble thatshe's in comes from the fact
that she left and didn't stay.
Her record included twoconvictions for driving without
a light-ballad license.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
Next is some international news up to Canada,
where now police have arrested20 individuals and over 100
charges have been laid in thegreater Toronto area revolving
around tow truck violence 20people are facing more than 100
charges tonight after amulti-jurisdictional police
crackdown on a criminal networkknown as the Union.
Speaker 6 (33:09):
Police say that network was well connected with
the GTA's tow truck industry.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
Police say these suspects were the ones calling
the shots, so they also releasedsome surveillance footage today
of what they say was crimes inaction on behalf of this
organized crime group.
There was one video from Whitbyand another one from this area
of Toronto's East End.
Speaker 8 (33:29):
A form of intimidation directed at a
victim who is part of the towtruck industry.
Speaker 10 (33:33):
In Toronto's East End near Broadview and Queen
Street East back on March 15th.
The suspect throws whatofficers say is a Molotov
cocktail at something just offscreen.
Speaker 8 (33:42):
The group was believed to be responsible for
numerous acts of violenceintended to gain control over
the towing industry.
Speaker 10 (33:49):
In another video, suspects, also allegedly working
for the union, appear to belighting vehicles on fire at
what investigators say is arival towing yard in Whitby on
February 17th.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Numerous people are now facing charges related to
directing and participating inthe activities of a criminal
organization, along withmultiple conspiracies to commit
murder.
Speaker 10 (34:12):
Toronto Police announced the arrest of 20
suspects leading to 111 charges,including dozens, for
conspiracy to commit murder.
Two guns and four vehiclesseized, including armoured
plated vehicles.
Speaker 8 (34:25):
We are at the upper echelon, we are with the group
that was organizing and hiringthe acts of violence, and it's
quite telling that none of themhave criminal records or are
before the courts, because theyare the higher level.
Speaker 10 (34:37):
Police say many of them operated tow trucks in the
city for a long time.
In corporate documents obtainedby CTV News, one of the
suspects, joseph Jensikumar fromOshawa, is listed as the
director of Joshua Roadside asof March 13th of this year.
The social bar and lounge,mansion kitchen and bar both in
Pickering and Pundi Bakery inScarborough are all listed in
(34:58):
court documents obtained by CTVNews as the target for
conspiracy to commit murdercharges.
The date of the alleged plotcourt documents list as between
March 7th or 8th, the day aftergunmen fired rounds at the Piper
Arms pub in Scarborough.
Speaker 4 (35:12):
Acts of violence on a mass scale were deterred and
prevented.
Speaker 10 (35:17):
The joint investigation with York Region,
durham, the OPP and TorontoPolice, dubbed Project Yankee,
began in October 2024 and led towiretaps targeting individuals
associated with the union andits members.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
What they've done essentially is cut the head off
that snake.
Speaker 10 (35:34):
Police say this will make a difference, but did not
say how many other organizedcrime groups could potentially
be at work in the GTA.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
They're either going to go underground and hide
because they think they're next,or, as we've often seen, with
drug gangs that have been takendown before that they will try
and move in and backfill thisvoid that is now out there.
Speaker 10 (35:53):
Police say, as of now, all 20 suspects remain in
custody.
The project came to an end aweek ago, on the 11th, with the
execution of 14 search warrants.
Police say 15 percent of thecity's shootings and firearm
discharges are linked to thetowing industry.
Speaker 9 (36:19):
Lastly, this story is in Kansas City where, on June
21st, 100-plus tow trucks led afuneral procession across Kansas
City honoring Bobby Jenkins ofJackson County Tow Service.
His son, robert Jenkins, is nowan owner of Jackson County Tow
Service.
His son, robert Jenkins, is nowan owner of Jackson County Toe
Service.
Quote from Jackson County's ToeService Facebook says In his
(36:43):
45-plus years of towing, bobbyhas spent the last nine watching
his son chase his dream beingan owner of Jackson County Toe.
Bobby's endless amount ofknowledge and advice was shared
with many people in our industry.
We have no doubt his legacywill live on through all the
people he has trained.
Jenkins' impact was clear.
As a Saturday, dozens of towtrucks filed across Kansas City.
Their instructions were simpleBring your tow trucks, honk your
horn, flash your lights.
This is what Bobby would want.
(37:04):
Jackson County Tow posted lastweek, promising Jenkins would be
transported to his finalresting place in style.
The procession started in BlueSprings at the business lots and
headed west across I-70 beforeexiting south onto I-635.
It ended at a funeral home inKansas City, kansas, where
funeral and graveside serviceswere held soon after.
(37:26):
Bobby was loved by many peopleand we all ask is that you never
forget what he's done out onour highways.
Jackson County Toe wrote.
This has been Towing News Now.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Well, there you have it a great podcast, the latest
news and the great information.
We'll see you next time onTowing News Now.
you're on the train to success with April and Wes
Wilburn.
I'm DJ Harrington, the co-host,better known as the Toe Doctor.
We're all on our way to thetown of proper towing and
recovery, along with ourproducer, chuck Camp, in the
studio.
Don't go to the town of woulda,coulda, shoulda.
You coulda had done this.
(00:28):
You should have done that.
Listen every week tothought-provoking wisdom from
great guests iTunes, pandora,stitcher, iheartmedia or the
number one podcast, or maybeAmazon or wherever you get your
(00:50):
podcasts.
Turn in on Wednesday and beturned on all week long.
If you are a state associationand want your announcements or
upcoming state association newsannouncements or upcoming state
association news, or maybe aco-show that's coming up, let us
know.
Our podcast studio phone numberis 706-409-5603.
(01:14):
I'm proud to be part of a greatteam at the American Dorm
Recovery Institute.
Let's make 2025 our best yearever.
I will turn it to April andRich.
Alright, dj, thanks so much asalways.
I appreciate the kind words.
I appreciate all the effort youput into this podcast.
I can't thank you enough fordragging me into the 21st
(01:37):
century and being involved inthis podcast with you.
I really am appreciative ofthat.
April, how are you today?
Speaker 5 (01:46):
I'm doing pretty good .
I actually just got back from alittle trip.
I really am appreciative ofthat April.
How are you today?
I'm doing pretty good.
I actually just got back from alittle trip, a little like a
sales trip, because I am the newtowing equipment direct person.
So I spent a little bit of timein Virginia for a few days on
the disarounds and seeing somepeople, so I'm happy to be home.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Well, it's good to have you home.
Absolutely happy to be home.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Well it's good to have you home, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Um, we're in the middle of the heat wave here, uh
, getting geared up for a bigfall.
We got a lot of schools planned.
Uh, we'll, of course, do it runthrough our schedule here in a
minute but, yeah, things aregood here, short of the heat
wave, and it looks like we'rejust a couple days away from the
heat, going from about aconstant 95, 98, 100 degrees
(02:29):
here in north carolina down toit's going to be in the low 80s.
So we're really looking forforward to that this weekend as
well.
A lot of stuff going on in theindustry we had a great
interview plan for today butunfortunately the interview that
(02:51):
canceled for professionalreasons we had a big week with
uh.
In the news that went with newyork city, the uh government the
other night I was going to addto that that.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
That um, the night I was going to add to that that.
That, um, the thing thathappened in new york city, I
guess can happen anywhere usa,um, but it does seem to happen
in the bigger cities more thanit does in some of these
southern states, and again itcould happen well, you know what
happens in northern states too,but when you're in a place like
michigan, where uh folks, uhfolks have a different attitude
(03:28):
about guns and how they'rehandled, and I'm not gun crazy
by any stretch, but I believethe best way to stop a bad guy
with a gun is a good guy with agun.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And the person in Michigan this weekend at the
Walmart stabbing people with aknife wasn't a person with a bad
guy with a gun, but it was acrazy person with a knife.
I think it was what nine or 11people that were injured with
that knife.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
He got a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
And citizens took action.
One of them was properly armed,knew what to do, knew how to do
it, and when you watch thatvideotape, that was a couple
different citizens comingtogether and taking control of
the situation, got the bad guyto stop stabbing people.
They not only did that, theydisarmed them and neutralized
(04:15):
them.
I would say, getting them onthe ground for police to get
there.
You saw that, didn't you, dj?
Yes, I did.
And you know I want to bring upsomething of the.
I saw the one where thestabbing took place in michigan.
But the one that really got mewas the police officer working a
(04:36):
second job, because when youfirst become a police officer
your pay is not that highofficer, your pay is not that
high.
So he is also working a secondjob, dressed in his uniform, and
, of course, the gunman, who haddriven three days from Vegas
all the way to New York, got inthere, shot him, shot an
(05:03):
executive from a finance companywas getting on the elevator and
, course, committed suicidehimself.
But this is something to thinkabout.
You know, our listeners havehelped with tunnel to towers and
tunnel to towers today made anannouncement that they are going
to help this guy with his taxes.
He already had paid off hishome isn't that incredible.
Speaker 5 (05:23):
I heard heard that today too, dj Frank Stiller was
on Fox and he was working asecond job, but his home was
already paid for.
Yes, that's just incredible.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
So Frank Stiller is going to help with that.
He has two children and he hadone in the oven so he has one in
the oven, and so Tunnel toTowers is going to help that
family, continuously making suretheir taxes are paid every year
, making sure that the childrenare going to school, and if they
need anything, tunnel to Towersis going to be there.
(05:59):
That's the reason why they askfor $11 a month, and millions of
families do $11 a month and ithelps cases like this.
So I want to thank our listeners, but, wes, I'm prepared that
when we, after we take our breakand come back, I'm prepared to
(06:20):
talk what you would like to talkabout.
Speaker 5 (06:22):
So I'm going to just say one thing, which is going to
go into our second segment tosome extent the two things that
happened, the one in Michiganand the one in New York- you
there is something obviouslyvery wrong with you to give you
the capacity to even do thateither one is the one of them
stabbing, stabbing people Idon't even know what it takes to
(06:45):
do something like that andshooting people.
In our second segment we'regoing to talk a little bit about
something else, but we do havea huge final crisis issue in
america, and the one reason wehave it is because I think
compassion is a wonderful thing,but sometimes, when we're too
compassionate, it leaves toomuch leeway, um, for somebody
(07:06):
who needs help not to get it.
And I don't know with thegentleman that did what he did,
or the guy in michigan who didwhat he did.
I don't know if there were anysigns beforehand, but I I I'm
gonna bet that there was yeah,um, I mean, it's just a tough
situation all the way around.
(07:26):
Absolutely Go to Walmart or goto New York City and you don't
know, you know it happens.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
Things like this happen all over America.
And one of the things to keepin mind is New York City in
particular, and New York Statein general, has very aggressive
gun laws.
So there's all the gun lawsstopping people from doing this
type of thing, but whensomeone's ready to kill somebody
(07:55):
gun laws mean nothing to them.
They mean absolutely nothing.
Speaker 5 (07:59):
It also hinders a law-abiding person from
protecting themselves fromsomebody else that wants to do
them harm.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Yeah absolutely.
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Well, if you're law-abiding, you're law-abiding,
so you don't own a gun, becauseyou are not allowed to in New
York City.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Wes off the air.
You and I talked aboutsomething very serious because
we have friends that haveoverdosed and they took their
own lives, and some notintentionally, but some have.
So I'm going to turn it over toyou and april started and then
(08:38):
I will blend in with you as wego.
Well, this conversation startedbecause recently I know three
different people in my extendedfamily when I say said the
family, I consider the towingindustry, my family.
That have been great.
And let me back up.
There's been three differentpeople that I know in that
(09:00):
extended group of friends and ofcourse, nowadays with Facebook
and whatnot, they keep up betterwith people, what they're doing
, what's going on in their lives.
And three different people Iknow have been affected
tremendously by what I'm goingto have to call an epidemic for
young people and when I sayyoung people teenage to their
(09:23):
20s is what I'm talking Eithercommitting suicide being drug
addicted and overdosing.
And these are good kids comingfrom good families.
Some of it's being affected byfentanyl, some of it's being
affected by other stuff.
But there's, an epidemic ofwe're losing a lot of young
(09:48):
people, a lot of young people.
Speaker 5 (09:53):
So I think that is I'm with Wes on this.
This is a lot.
True, it's been going on for along time, but it does seem to
be ramped up these last fewyears and there's a lot of
speculation as to why that mightbe now.
One of them was coded when wewere very isolated as adults.
(10:15):
You can handle that because youhave moving mechanisms, you
have social skills which youcan't.
We just kind of to protect them, we didn't let them socialize
the way that they would havenormally had they been going to
school, going on play dates andfurther isolating this next
(10:36):
generation that's coming up.
I think that's the gasolinethat's on the, that we already
put on the fire.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
I don't know, there's a lot, and you know I'm talking
drugs overdose, but it's alsosuicide.
I don't know if this is the oneI just saw.
I was connected with somebodythat I know Also.
I just saw on a local Facebookgroup here in Fayetteville,
north Carolina.
I think the group's calledwhat's Happening in Fayetteville
(11:02):
Now or something to that effectpolice responding to a call two
young parents, I think it wastheir early 20s in a car passed
out overdosed from heroin.
I believe it was with twochildren in the car, and the
police took care of the childrenuntil the grandparents could
(11:22):
arrive, took care of thechildren till the grandparents
could arrive.
And again, I think it's formany reasons the whole opium
epidemic, the use of them forpainkillers.
There's just a lot going on.
Speaker 5 (11:37):
There's a lot going on.
And also I know I've heard ittoo, and I don't know if this is
true, but I've heard it that adrug from 30 years ago is a lot
more potent today with what theylace it with.
So fentanyl is something thatAmerica is trying to combat.
(11:58):
That's why some of that borderissue is more of an issue than
just illegals coming over.
It's also the fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a very inexpensiveway to lace this stuff and amp
it up and make it more addictive.
And so when you're alreadytaking something that might be
lethal if you do too much of it,but if you do a little bit, not
so bad and you add thatfentanyl in it, what you're
doing is just amplifying theeffect of it and you're
(12:21):
amplifying the locality of ithey, wes.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
I want to tell our listeners April and I talked
about the seven West Pointcadets that had rented a home
down in Fort Myers, florida, andthis was last year.
I want to tell the listenerstwo of my brothers have
graduated from the Naval Academy.
(12:46):
One graduated third in hisclass, the other graduated 33rd
in his class.
The one who graduated 33rdbecame an astronaut.
And the one who became thethird graduate, he was number
one until he fell in love and hebecame then number three.
He fell off his book knowledge.
But the seven cadets from WestPoint a family member rented a
(13:11):
home in Fort Myers, florida andit was a gorgeous home on the
beach.
They all went out and partiedone night and they had too many
beers, beers.
They went home and the onecadet said hey, there's some
Tylenol in the cabinet.
(13:31):
They thought nothing of itbecause it read Tylenol and
every one of them died the nextday of fentanyl poisoning.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
Wow, day of fentanyl poisoning.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
They had laced the Tylenol with fentanyl, put it in
a container and the poor familythat rented the house felt so
bad that in the medicine cabinetwas Tylenol laced with fentanyl
.
And all seven cadets from WestPoint passed away.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Yeah, that fentanyl is definitely a big attribute in
.
It was terrible yeah there's aroot cause that's beyond that
that we need nationally to delveinto, and that's why is this
addiction thing, you know,getting so much more and
(14:32):
happening so much more.
But fentanyl, definitely, likeI said, it's the gas on the fire
already.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
So let's just hang around and we'll take a quick
break.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
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Speaker 1 (16:56):
Welcome back listeners.
Of course you know you'relistening to the new Towing News
Channel.
We are over 20,000 listenersnow, so I want to thank all of
you.
On behalf of Wes April myself,I want to thank you because this
is really having over 20,000listeners every week is
(17:18):
wonderful.
Remember to like, review andshare everywhere.
So, without further ado, let mesend you back.
Thank you, dj.
There's probably many reasonsfor these problems and Lord
knows, I don't have you know allthe problems, much less the
answers.
But I do know if you seesomeone in your circle, your
(17:40):
community, especially if you'reclose with them.
But even if you're not, reachout and talk to them.
If you see someone in crisis,try to help them.
Don't be judgmental.
When a family loses a youngchild, a young person, to
addiction, sometimes it seemssome communities do not rally
around that family and supportthem.
(18:01):
They're more ostracized.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
Ostracized yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Them and maybe even ridicule some.
I've seen it happen to the mostupright standard family.
I've seen it happen to peoplefrom all walks of life and all
classes of life.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
Yeah, yeah.
Sometimes it's being ostracizedand sometimes it's kind of
putting your head in the sandtoo.
You don't want to see whathappens to another family and
think about this could actuallyhave happened to mine.
But that's not a fair thing todo to your family because you
may be able to see signs withthat that you may see in your
own family that you could kindof get ahead of it is.
(18:46):
It is an epidemic.
It is something like I saidthat there's many causes and
there's many reasons for it.
Sometimes it it can happen in afamily that's a good family
that never had that situation.
Sometimes it's in that familyand that's what you see, and
that's what you a family that'sa good family and never had that
situation.
Sometimes it's in that familyand that's what you see and
that's what you're around,that's what you're used to and
(19:07):
it becomes a normal thing andyou, I think you think when
you're younger, you're nevergoing to turn into that person,
you're never going to be likethat, and it's just too easy to
reach out for that, whateverthat drug is, or whatever the
alcohol is, as a self-medicatingtype of a thing.
And then there's the middle,there's the mental health issue
that we have.
That I think that we alsoeither ostracize or we put our
(19:30):
head in the sand about that.
We don't want to see, but it isa thing that's happening
there's, just like teen suicide,the same thing Most of the time
.
Speaker 1 (19:42):
when you see that happen to a family, it'd be some
of the last folks you suspect,but you never know what's going
on with people.
Speaker 5 (19:50):
You don't ever know what's going on with people.
You see what you see whenyou're out in public with them.
You don't know what happens.
There's a whole world andthere's a whole universe that
goes on when you go into yourhouse and you close that door.
Um, you run, you have a wife,you have kids, you have.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
There's all the things that are happening if
they another person doesn't seeso one of the things I'm going
to strongly suggest is try toreach out to folks and give them
some support and, um, if yousee someone that you think,
might be in a crisis situation,see if you can't, as a friend,
delicately approach it anddefinitely if something happens
(20:28):
to people in your circle,whether they're close or not so
close, you should try to besupportive, supportive as you
can.
Again, I've seen it happen toall kinds of people.
All kinds of people from allkinds of different walks of life
, economic status, et cetera.
(20:48):
It could happen anywhere in theUSA, anytime in the.
Speaker 5 (20:53):
USA.
Speaker 1 (20:55):
I know it's kind of a depressing subject, but it's
something we've got to talkabout, something as a society
we're dealing with more and moreeach day, and there's a lot
more pressures out there.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
it seems like we have a lot more at our fingertips
and a lot more accessibility tocommunity assistance and things,
but with that comes pressureand stress too.
Speaker 1 (21:15):
So don't be afraid to tell people in your life you
love them, give them a hug, tellthem you care about them and be
there for them.
Hey, thanks, Wes.
This has been a great podcast.
Wow, let's jump right over tothe Towing News.
Now desk for the latest intowing news.
Speaker 9 (21:33):
I'm Wesley Wilburn and this is Towing News.
Now We'll start this segmentwith towing reform happening
around state houses across thecountry.
A new Connecticut law providescomprehensive towing reform in
the state House.
Bill 7162 starts with a towingbill of rights.
The Department of MotorVehicles Commissioner will
develop the bill of rights bythe end of August.
(21:55):
As of October 1st, towingcompanies must make available
the bill of rights to the public.
Another provision overrides thecurrent DMVlished rate schedule
for medium and heavy-dutynon-consensual tows.
In its place, the agency isresponsible for establishing a
new rate schedule.
Starting July 1st, temporaryrates will be placed for
(22:17):
medium-duty, heavy-duty andoversized overweight vehicles.
The temporary rates will beused until the new rate schedule
is established.
The DMV is required to createseparate rate schedules for
private property, trespasstowing and police-ordered towing
.
There will no longer be oneschedule for all non-consensual
towing.
Maximum hour waits that couldbe charged for heavy-duty
(22:40):
non-consensual tow will be $700per hour.
The amount is up from thecurrent $390 rate.
It includes recovery.
Rates are required to bereconsidered and potentially
amended every three years.
Next, in Arkansas, state lawpermits a towing or storage
company to hold a vehicle for alien or claim for unpaid towing
(23:04):
and storage fees.
The new law permits vehicleowners to get their cargo
returned for a fee.
The new rule ensures thattowers will get 20% of the value
of truck cargo up front.
They can still have a lien onthe cargo.
Also covered in the new law isa process to file towing
complaints.
Towing services must include oninvoices notice of the state's
(23:25):
compliance system.
Services must include oninvoices notice of the state's
compliance system.
The new rule takes effect July1st.
The new rule requiresnotification prominently printed
in bold letters at the bottomof each invoice to include the
phone number and web address ofthe Arkansas Towing Recovery
Board.
The towing board is also beingoverhauled.
An emergency clause immediatelyremoved all nine existing board
(23:46):
members.
The new law stipulates that theboard must include one member
who represents the truckingindustry, another member who
represents the commercialtrucking insurance industry.
In Illinois a bill is heading toGovernor JB Pritzker's desk
targeting bad actors in thetowing.
Senator Selina Villanueva ofChicago introduced a bill that
(24:09):
she described as going aftertowing operators to ignore
penalties and continue operatingunder new business names.
House and Senate lawmakersapproved a bill that would allow
the commission to impound towtrucks of unpaid fines.
Senate Bill 2040 would alsopermit the state to suspend
plates from tow trucks of unpaidfines.
In addition, fraudulent towerswill be denied from tow trucks
(24:30):
of unpaid fines.
In addition, fraudulent towerswill be denied from obtaining
new licenses for three years.
One more provision would forbidtow truck operators from
placing liens on essentialpersonal property left in a
towed vehicle.
North Carolina House Bill 472would outlaw immobilization of a
commercial vehicle for parkingenforcement purposes.
The ban would apply to anydeviceization of a commercial
vehicle for parking enforcementpurposes.
The ban would apply to anydevice such as a boot.
(24:51):
Violators would face a Class 2misdemeanor charge.
Vining court costs for suchoffense can top to $430.
Including the bill is aprovision for return of cargo.
A tow company involved in anon-consensual or
government-initiated tow wouldbe required to return any
commercial cargo to the truckdriver or owner of the cargo.
(25:12):
Upon request.
A trailer swap would bepermitted under the condition
that a different trailer is ofsimilar type, that is in working
condition and was manufacturedwithin five years of the
manufacturing date of theoriginal trailer or newer, as
arranged by the cargo company.
The bill errates considerationin the Senate Rules and
Operations Committee.
(25:32):
Lastly, a Pennsylvania bill isintended to make it easier to
get a large truck to a preferredfacility for service.
Trucks requiring emergencyservice can be towed to a nearby
garage or other place of safety.
Sponsored by RepresentativeStephanie Bowarix, the bill is
described as easing regulationson the towing industry to allow
for safer operating procedures.
(25:53):
House Bill 188 would permit atruck tractor with up to two
trailers that require emergencyservice to be towed to a
location of the owner's choosingor other places of safety off a
highway.
The change would also apply tooverweight combinations, as long
as the tow truck travelsdirectly to the place of repairs
or places of safety.
(26:13):
She said the bill would easeregulations on tow truck drivers
and increase safety on roadsacross the Commonwealth.
The House bill is now in theHouse Transportation Committee.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
Tow truck operators from the Metro say it's time to
fight back.
One impound company is filingsuit against the city, saying
new restrictions will force themto break the law.
Fox 4 News has been followingthis story for you for months.
Sean McDowell takes us toSmithville now, where tow truck
operators say this is not fair.
Speaker 11 (26:45):
Kansas City's private party impound is filing
lawsuit against Kansas City andJackson County.
That company's owners say theyhave the support of at least 20
other metro towing and impoundoperators.
A new Kansas City ordinancemeant to lessen predatory towing
will force impound companies toface liability of their own.
The lawsuit says tow companieswill now be forced to release
(27:07):
cars to people who don't ownthem.
Kansas City Council membersapproved the new ordinance May
1st, but it won't take effectuntil the first day of 2026.
The council says it heardnumerous complaints from the
public about predatory towing.
Speaker 12 (27:19):
The rule puts private businesses in a position
where we're regulated out ofbusiness.
Speaker 11 (27:26):
Private party impound operator, jay Bloodworth
, contends the new ordinancewould potentially allow
impounded cars to be stolen bypeople who aren't registered
owners.
The lawsuit also says thisordinance conflicts with
Missouri statutes regardingtowing.
Speaker 12 (27:39):
If we have to release a vehicle to someone
that is not the owner of thevehicle, then we open ourselves
up to all kinds of lawsuits andwe actually are violating state
law by doing that up to allkinds of lawsuits and we
actually are violating state lawby doing that.
Speaker 11 (27:52):
On May 13th, bloodworth was arrested as part
of an investigation by theMissouri Department of Revenue
into allegations of illegaltowing.
Drivers from other towcompanies, like Ron Rogers from
GT Towing in Smithville, believeBloodworth's lawsuit is
justified.
Speaker 7 (28:06):
The law has as they've written.
It is allowing us to release avehicle to anybody, not the
registered owner, and why wouldwe want to give somebody's car
to them if it's not theirs?
Speaker 11 (28:20):
Also on Wednesday.
A Kansas City spokespersontells Fox 4 News the city does
not comment on pendinglitigation.
The first courtroom appearanceregarding this case is coming up
on October 7th.
Sean McDowell Fox, fox 4working for you.
Speaker 6 (28:33):
So police are now investigating another Kansas
City towing company.
An employee with Max towingtells Fox 4 police raided it
this week.
Investigators continue to crackdown on alleged predatory
impound companies.
Speaker 11 (28:45):
One employee told me on Friday that the staff at Max
towing in East Kansas Citydidn't expect a Wednesday
morning visit from Kansas Citypolice investigators.
A KCPD spokesperson said onFriday that one car was taken
from that impound lot onWednesday.
One neighbor says this sectionof Doctor Martin Luther King
Blvd outside Max towing slot wasfilled with police cars on
(29:06):
Wednesday morning.
Fox 4 News is aware of a viralvideo clip that shows that right
as it happened.
Kcpd Sergeant Phil DiMartinosays several items of interest
were taken in addition to thatconfiscated car as part of a
follow up to a previous inquirypolice conducted.
The police spokespersoncouldn't elaborate, though.
On Friday morning Fox 4 Newsapproached employees at Max
(29:30):
towing but they locked the gateson us and refused to answer our
questions.
Kansas City police have directedtheir attention toward
allegations of illegal towingpractices since May 1st.
Kansas City Mayor Quentin Lucasand Jackson County Prosecutor
Melissa Johnson worked togetheron new ordinances to crack down
on impound companies afterhearing complaints from the
public.
Ordinances to crack down onimpound companies.
(29:51):
After hearing complaints fromthe public, the Missouri
Department of Revenue'sinvestigation into private party
impound led to the arrest ofcompany owner Jay Bloodworth,
who faces charges of forgingdocuments related to towing
calls.
Bloodworth continues to denythese accusations.
Fox 4 News also attempted tocontact Max Towing's owner via
telephone on Friday.
We haven't heard back fromanyone yet.
On Friday afternoon aspokesperson for the Jackson
(30:13):
County Prosecutor's Office couldnot confirm as to whether or
not an investigation into Mack'stowing's practices was being
conducted.
However, an overall inquiryinto allegations of illegal
towing at various locations inthe metro continues.
Speaker 9 (30:28):
Next story is in Horn Lake, Mississippi, where a man
suits tow truck driver while hiscar is being repossessed.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
Horn Lake police investigators looking for a man
they say pulled the trigger in aSunday shooting.
Marshawn Colbert is wanted foraggravated assault and
authorities say you need toconsider him armed and dangerous
.
You need to consider him armedand dangerous.
Colbert is said to have shot aman who came to repossess his
vehicle after an argument overthe driver towing a car.
The incident happened in theparking lot of the shopping
(30:58):
center on Interstate Boulevard.
A woman was also hurt when thecar fell off the tow truck.
Following the shooting, she'sexpected to be okay.
The repo driver is in criticalcondition.
Speaker 9 (31:10):
Next story is in Florida, where a tow truck
driver was able to leadinvestigators on a month-long
investigation for a driver on ahit-and-run crash in Melbourne.
Speaker 6 (31:20):
An 18-month-old hit-and-run case was cracked
thanks to the help of a repodriver.
Speaker 13 (31:26):
They've been working so hard to bring justice to the
family of a 23-year-old.
They needed Takaya Hardy's DNAto put her behind the wheel of
the car in that crash.
They could not find her, though, and then that repo driver
showed up and gave them aworkaround.
Speaker 9 (31:42):
Her leaving high rate of speed after she struck
someone down in downtownMelbourne is kind of concerning
to me as a danger to thecommunity.
Speaker 13 (31:48):
Takaya.
Hardy's arrest and her $100,000bond took 18 months and several
strokes of luck forinvestigators who struggled to
prove she was behind the wheelwhen her car hit 23-year-old
Andrew Sofranco on Christmasmorning, 2023, leaving his newly
married father to mourn.
Documents show the first bit ofluck came from them finding the
car quickly tracing it to anapartment complex moments before
(32:11):
a tow truck, they say Hardyhired tried to take it away, but
they couldn't prove she wasbehind the wheel until a repo
driver came to their impound lot.
Investigators say that drivershowed them a GPS tracker the
dealership hid inside the car,which let them trace the car's
movements and match its locationto Hardy's cell phone, putting
both at the scene of the crashand leading to her arrest.
(32:34):
The documents show Hardy had agreen light when the crash
happened, so the trouble thatshe's in comes from the fact
that she left and didn't stay.
Her record included twoconvictions for driving without
a light-ballad license.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
Next is some international news up to Canada,
where now police have arrested20 individuals and over 100
charges have been laid in thegreater Toronto area revolving
around tow truck violence 20people are facing more than 100
charges tonight after amulti-jurisdictional police
crackdown on a criminal networkknown as the Union.
Speaker 6 (33:09):
Police say that network was well connected with
the GTA's tow truck industry.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
Police say these suspects were the ones calling
the shots, so they also releasedsome surveillance footage today
of what they say was crimes inaction on behalf of this
organized crime group.
There was one video from Whitbyand another one from this area
of Toronto's East End.
Speaker 8 (33:29):
A form of intimidation directed at a
victim who is part of the towtruck industry.
Speaker 10 (33:33):
In Toronto's East End near Broadview and Queen
Street East back on March 15th.
The suspect throws whatofficers say is a Molotov
cocktail at something just offscreen.
Speaker 8 (33:42):
The group was believed to be responsible for
numerous acts of violenceintended to gain control over
the towing industry.
Speaker 10 (33:49):
In another video, suspects, also allegedly working
for the union, appear to belighting vehicles on fire at
what investigators say is arival towing yard in Whitby on
February 17th.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Numerous people are now facing charges related to
directing and participating inthe activities of a criminal
organization, along withmultiple conspiracies to commit
murder.
Speaker 10 (34:12):
Toronto Police announced the arrest of 20
suspects leading to 111 charges,including dozens, for
conspiracy to commit murder.
Two guns and four vehiclesseized, including armoured
plated vehicles.
Speaker 8 (34:25):
We are at the upper echelon, we are with the group
that was organizing and hiringthe acts of violence, and it's
quite telling that none of themhave criminal records or are
before the courts, because theyare the higher level.
Speaker 10 (34:37):
Police say many of them operated tow trucks in the
city for a long time.
In corporate documents obtainedby CTV News, one of the
suspects, joseph Jensikumar fromOshawa, is listed as the
director of Joshua Roadside asof March 13th of this year.
The social bar and lounge,mansion kitchen and bar both in
Pickering and Pundi Bakery inScarborough are all listed in
(34:58):
court documents obtained by CTVNews as the target for
conspiracy to commit murdercharges.
The date of the alleged plotcourt documents list as between
March 7th or 8th, the day aftergunmen fired rounds at the Piper
Arms pub in Scarborough.
Speaker 4 (35:12):
Acts of violence on a mass scale were deterred and
prevented.
Speaker 10 (35:17):
The joint investigation with York Region,
durham, the OPP and TorontoPolice, dubbed Project Yankee,
began in October 2024 and led towiretaps targeting individuals
associated with the union andits members.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
What they've done essentially is cut the head off
that snake.
Speaker 10 (35:34):
Police say this will make a difference, but did not
say how many other organizedcrime groups could potentially
be at work in the GTA.
Speaker 4 (35:41):
They're either going to go underground and hide
because they think they're next,or, as we've often seen, with
drug gangs that have been takendown before that they will try
and move in and backfill thisvoid that is now out there.
Speaker 10 (35:53):
Police say, as of now, all 20 suspects remain in
custody.
The project came to an end aweek ago, on the 11th, with the
execution of 14 search warrants.
Police say 15 percent of thecity's shootings and firearm
discharges are linked to thetowing industry.
Speaker 9 (36:19):
Lastly, this story is in Kansas City where, on June
21st, 100-plus tow trucks led afuneral procession across Kansas
City honoring Bobby Jenkins ofJackson County Tow Service.
His son, robert Jenkins, is nowan owner of Jackson County Tow
Service.
His son, robert Jenkins, is nowan owner of Jackson County Toe
Service.
Quote from Jackson County's ToeService Facebook says In his
(36:43):
45-plus years of towing, bobbyhas spent the last nine watching
his son chase his dream beingan owner of Jackson County Toe.
Bobby's endless amount ofknowledge and advice was shared
with many people in our industry.
We have no doubt his legacywill live on through all the
people he has trained.
Jenkins' impact was clear.
As a Saturday, dozens of towtrucks filed across Kansas City.
Their instructions were simpleBring your tow trucks, honk your
horn, flash your lights.
This is what Bobby would want.
(37:04):
Jackson County Tow posted lastweek, promising Jenkins would be
transported to his finalresting place in style.
The procession started in BlueSprings at the business lots and
headed west across I-70 beforeexiting south onto I-635.
It ended at a funeral home inKansas City, kansas, where
funeral and graveside serviceswere held soon after.
(37:26):
Bobby was loved by many peopleand we all ask is that you never
forget what he's done out onour highways.
Jackson County Toe wrote.
This has been Towing News Now.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
Well, there you have it a great podcast, the latest
news and the great information.
We'll see you next time onTowing News Now.
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