National scope
National Pulse
OC Transpo Double-Decker Bus Comes Loose Mid-Tow on Belfast Road and Rolls into the Farm Boy Grocery Store at the Ottawa Train Yards; No Injuries Reported as City Reviews How the Bus Broke Free
An out-of-service OC Transpo double-decker bus came loose from a tow truck near the transit agency's maintenance facility on Belfast Road around 1 p.m. Tuesday and rolled into the Farm Boy grocery store at the Ottawa Train Yards, according to CTV News Ottawa. No one was hurt, and city officials said they are working to determine how the bus detached from the tow truck.
Operator takeaway: An unsecured load on a Tuesday afternoon does not get to wait for the audit. Pull every chain, binder, and tie-down log from the last 30 days this week and verify that your check-before-rolling protocol is what your drivers actually do, not just what your wall posters say.
Jackson County Judge Lifts House Arrest and GPS Monitoring for Indicted Missouri Trooper Charles 'Nate' Bradley Ahead of July 17 Pretrial Hearing in the Alleged Towing Corruption Case
A Jackson County judge on Tuesday removed the house-arrest requirement and discontinued GPS monitoring as pretrial conditions for Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper Charles 'Nate' Bradley, who was indicted May 18 on 13 counts including 10 of tampering with physical evidence and one of acceding to corruption by a public servant, according to KCTV5. Bradley is scheduled for a pretrial hearing July 17; Kansas City attorney John Picerno said any case Bradley touched 'is going to be looked at with a fine-toothed comb.'
Operator takeaway: Every defense attorney with a Missouri stolen-vehicle case from the last decade is now looking at whether Bradley signed off on the recovery. If your company has had any Troop A interaction tied to a stolen-vehicle tow, pull the file and document the chain of custody before someone subpoenas it.
Florida Highway Patrol Charges Julia Blackwell, 21, with Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Crash After Troopers Say She Ran Over Good Samaritan Ronald Bear, 59, Who Had Just Pulled Her Pickup Out of an East Orange County Mud Ditch
Julia Blackwell, 21, was arrested Wednesday and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death after Florida Highway Patrol troopers said she struck and reversed over 59-year-old Ronald Bear at the moment he was removing the tow strap that had just freed her pickup from a muddy ditch near State Road 50 and State Road 520 around 5 a.m. May 16, according to ClickOrlando. Troopers said a witness at the scene yelled 'You killed him,' and that Blackwell climbed into the passenger seat after the crash while another person drove them away.
Operator takeaway: Ronald Bear was a friend with a tow strap, not a licensed operator on a dispatched call, and that distinction does not change what your drivers face every time they kneel down to unhook a vehicle. Treat the moment the strap is being removed as the highest-risk moment of the recovery and brief your crew on what to do when the customer is in the driver's seat.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster Signs House Bill 4249 as Act 147, Expanding the State's Move Over Duty to Cover Every Vehicle Stopped on the Roadside Displaying Hazard Lights; Violators Face $300 to $500 Fines
Governor Henry McMaster signed House Bill 4249 on May 15 as Act 147, expanding the duty in Section 56-5-1538 beyond emergency responders to cover any motor vehicle stopped on or near the right of way of a street or highway with flashing hazard lights, according to the South Carolina Statehouse bill record. Drivers must significantly reduce speed and change lanes when safe to do so, with violations carrying a fine of $300 to $500; the act took effect on the signing date.
Operator takeaway: Every state that extends its Move Over law to hazard-light passenger vehicles changes the moving-traffic risk model for your roadside recoveries in that state. If you operate in or through South Carolina, the next driver meeting is the time to walk through the expanded coverage and the new $300 to $500 fine schedule.
Saskatchewan Tow Operator Clint Gottinger of Rebel Towing Pauses His Dispatched Calls to Lift a Young Moose Off Frozen Lake Ice Near Kelvington, Naming Him 'Rebel' After the Company; His Waiting Customers Said Go Ahead
Clint Gottinger of Rebel Towing in Kelvington, Saskatchewan used his flatbed deck and a soft sling to lift a young moose off lake ice and brought the animal back to his property, where his wife laid out blankets to warm him up until he stood the next morning and walked off, according to Global News. Gottinger said his pending tow customers were understanding when he canceled to handle the rescue; the moose, nicknamed Rebel, has since become a viral story across Canadian media.
Operator takeaway: Take ten minutes this week to find a story your crew did well, write it down, and post it. A wrecker industry that only ever shows up in the news for fatalities, fee fights, and arson is a wrecker industry that struggles to recruit; Gottinger's moose is the kind of share that fixes that.
Missouri State Trooper Charles 'Nate' Bradley Indicted in Jackson County on 13 Counts After Year-Long Investigation in What Prosecutors Allege Was a Towing Corruption Scheme Tied to Stolen Vehicles and a $25,000 Necklace
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced on May 18 that a grand jury indicted MSHP Trooper Charles 'Nate' Bradley on 13 counts including 10 of tampering with physical evidence, acceding to corruption by a public servant, stealing more than $25,000, and first-degree property damage after a year-long investigation, according to KCTV5. Prosecutors allege Bradley used his trooper position to help towing companies profit from stolen vehicles by bypassing law enforcement procedures, retained a stolen $25,000 necklace tied to a jewelry store burglary, and damaged a 2017 Alfa Romeo by puncturing its tires.
Operator takeaway: Rotation-list towing only works if the dispatching officer is straight. Audit your rotation referrals back to 2020, document every Troop A call you handled, and put the file somewhere you can find it; somebody on the defense side is going to ask which tows came from a tainted source.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson Urges Lawmakers to Pass House Bill 199 to Cap Non-Consent Tow Charges After Securing a Judgment Against Charlotte Driver David Satterfield in What His Office Characterized as the State's First Discriminatory Towing Case
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson told WBTV on May 7 that towing complaints are 'a very frequent cause of complaints to our office' and pressed lawmakers to pass House Bill 199, which would create a state Towing and Recovery Commission and set a statutory ceiling on charges that North Carolina currently lacks, according to WBTV. Jackson obtained a February 2026 judgment against Charlotte tow driver David Satterfield in what his office characterized as the state's first discriminatory towing case; the report cites examples including a $1,200 bill for a Gastonia tow from a religious event.
Operator takeaway: House Bill 199 would create a Towing and Recovery Commission with permitting and fee authority. If you operate in North Carolina, read the bill and submit comment now; the AG's office is openly asking for legislative leverage, and your fee schedule is the first lever they will pull.
Madison County, Alabama Jury Convicts Warren Siao of Murder in the December 2023 Shooting Death of Tow Truck Driver Jayson Click at Siao's Wedgewood Terrace Home; Sentencing Set for June 10
A Madison County jury returned a verdict on May 6 convicting Warren Siao of murder in the December 2023 shooting death of tow driver Jayson Click at Siao's home on Wedgewood Terrace, with sentencing scheduled for June 10, according to WAFF. Prosecutors said Siao retrieved a rifle with a suppressor and deliberately fired on the repo team; Siao's defense said he believed he was being burglarized.
Operator takeaway: The Click conviction is the second straight high-profile prosecution of a person who fired on or struck a tow operator. Add the WAFF link to your driver handbook alongside the Pierre Innocent and Garzez cases and use it the next time someone tells you the legal system does not take operator deaths seriously.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Sue Bronx Tow Operator Instant Recovery Corp., Seeking License Revocation and Restitution for More Than 1,000 Alleged Violations of City Law
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection filed suit May 4 against Instant Recovery Corp., a Bronx-based tow operator that began operating in November 2024, alleging the company charged more than the legally permitted amounts for tow, drop, and storage fees, conducted unauthorized tows, demanded cash-only payments, and refused to provide receipts, according to natlawreview.com. The city seeks full restitution, civil penalties for more than 1,000 alleged violations of city law, and revocation of the company's tow truck license; Commissioner Sam Levine said 'our lawsuit puts the entire industry on notice.'
Operator takeaway: DCWP is asking for license revocation as a remedy, not just penalties. If you do non-consent or repo work in any major U.S. city, your line-item fee disclosure on every invoice is the easiest place a regulator builds a 1,000-violation count, and the easiest place you defend it.
Compliance Calendar
Three Court Dates and a New Law Operators Should Track This Week
- May 27, Jacksonville: The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is asking for tips after a tow driver was shot and killed during a repossession at the Sanctuary Walk apartment complex on East 21st Street. CrimeStoppers number: 866-845-TIPS.
- May 26, Jackson County, Missouri: A judge lifted house arrest and GPS monitoring for indicted MSHP Trooper Charles 'Nate' Bradley. His next pretrial hearing is set for July 17.
- May 20, Columbia, South Carolina: Governor Henry McMaster signed House Bill 4249, expanding the state's Move Over duty to every disabled vehicle on the roadside with hazard lights. Fines for violators range from $300 to $500.
- June 10, Madison County, Alabama: Sentencing is scheduled for Warren Siao, who a jury convicted May 6 of murder in the December 2023 shooting death of tow driver Jayson Click.
Operator Litigation
Three Cases That Tell You Where the Liability Risk Is This Week
- New York City: Mayor Zohran Mamdani and DCWP filed suit May 4 against Bronx tow operator Instant Recovery Corp., seeking license revocation and restitution for alleged charges above permitted amounts, cash-only demands, and refusal to provide receipts.
- North Carolina: Attorney General Jeff Jackson is urging passage of House Bill 199, which would create a Towing and Recovery Commission and set a statutory ceiling on non-consent towing charges that the state currently does not have.
- Florida: FHP arrested 21-year-old Julia Blackwell and charged her with leaving the scene of a crash involving death after troopers said she struck 59-year-old Ronald Bear at the moment he was removing the tow strap that had just freed her stuck pickup.
- Missouri: Prosecutors allege MSHP Trooper Charles 'Nate' Bradley used his position to help towing companies profit from stolen vehicles; the 13-count indictment is the kind of case that turns every Troop A referral into discovery for defense counsel.
Industry Notebook
A Bus, a Strap, and a Moose Walk Into the Same Week
- Ottawa: An OC Transpo double-decker came loose from a tow on Belfast Road around 1 p.m. May 26 and rolled into the Farm Boy grocery store at the Train Yards; no one was hurt, and the city is reviewing how the bus broke free.
- Saskatchewan: Clint Gottinger of Rebel Towing used his flatbed and a sling to lift a young moose off frozen lake ice, then sheltered the animal on his property until it walked off on its own the next morning. His other waiting customers said go ahead.
- Yard reminder: every tie-down on every transport should be inspected and signed off before the truck rolls. The Belfast Road bus did not pass that check on Tuesday.