Tow Truck Driver Injured
The story of Allen Rose, the tow driver who was dragged to his death put a spotlight on the plight that many tow truck drivers face. But it?s something tow truck drivers continue to deal with: angry people who don?t want to be towed.
The tow truck driver was towing a car for parking on private property. When the driver came out, he couldn?t convince the tow truck driver not to tow his car, so he took matters into his own hands.
?We always get a lot of crazy stuff like this happening all the time,? said Joe Vargas, a tow truck driver for Pinky?s High Country Towing. He said until Allen Rose?s tragic death, no one ever really took notice of the hazards of the towing business.
Joe Vargas was called out to tow a mercury sable from the China Village parking lot on Union. The driver of the sable, Bradley Henkle was going next door to Comcast.
?This is a big deal that we have with Comcast’s customers,? said Vargas. ?They park so much in this lot that we’re in there on a daily basis all day long cause they’re so overwhelmed with Comcast’s customers.?
Soon after Vargas hooked up the car to his tow truck, he said Henkle came out yelling.
?I went to go drive away and he threw his cable box through the window of my truck and hit me in the mouth,? said Vargas.
Vargas said some of his teeth were knocked loose.
?I?ve got to go get stitches in my mouth cause my inside of my mouth is cut open pretty good,? said Vargas.
The car is not registered to Henkle, who was charged with assault and released.
Allen Rose?s law makes it a crime to get into a car that is being towed. The bill requires that towing carriers place a warning sign on the vehicle.
Vargas said he did put a sign on the car, which read: ?Warning. This vehicle is in tow. Attempting to operate or operating this vehicle may result in criminal prosecution and may lead to injury or death to you or another person.?
Vargas said Henkle did get in the car, but wasn?t charged by police. According to police the sign was nowhere to be found when they arrived.
According to Vargas, Henkle tore down the sign.
KRDO-TV tried to reach out to Henkle and the woman who owns the car. Neither could be reached.
