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Wisconsin Trucking Company Faced $46,000 Tow Bill After Chicago Bridge Strike — Tow Company Wouldn’t Negotiate Until a News Crew Showed Up, Then Dropped Bill to $5,000

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Kristina
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OAK LAWN, ILLINOIS — A Wisconsin trucking company was facing a $46,000 towing bill after one of its trucks became wedged under a Chicago viaduct — until the owner called a local news station, showed up at the tow company’s lot, and watched the bill drop to $5,000 within hours.

Tim Smith with DPW Trucking said his truck got wedged under a viaduct in Chicago in early April. The initial towing quote was only a few thousand dollars, but by the time the company went to retrieve the truck, it had ballooned to $46,000. “It was like: ‘You have to be kidding me! How do you come up with $46,000!'” Smith said.

DPW Trucking owner Kristin Crawford began researching the towing company, Official Towing, and found it had previously appeared in news coverage for charging excessive prices for semi-truck towing. She said getting anyone on the phone was nearly impossible. “They don’t want to talk to you on the phone. They literally hang up on you. And then it says on their email, they will not negotiate the rate,” Crawford said.

Crawford then reached out to another trucking company that had previously dealt with Official Towing and asked how they resolved it. The answer was clear. “I actually called that company and talked to them and asked them how they got through this and they said the only way that they got through was when you guys showed up,” Crawford said to WGN News.

Crawford and Smith met WGN News outside Official Towing’s lot in the 9200 block of South Kilpatrick in Oak Lawn. Shortly after the news crew arrived and an unsuccessful phone call was made, the towing company’s owner sent a message — DPW could retrieve the truck for $5,000 instead of $46,000. With assistance from Oak Lawn Police, DPW Trucking got their truck back and returned it to Wisconsin.

“They’re like bugs,” Crawford said. “They scurry when the police or the news come. We wouldn’t have our truck if it wasn’t for you. We would not have it back. It would still be sitting there and we would still be fighting with them and losing sleep.”

A Pattern of Complaints

Official Towing has faced complaints for excessive towing bills previously. The recorded owner, Ahmed Shalabi, has given conflicting information about whether the company is licensed to operate within Chicago city limits, saying the city is “notorious for how difficult, time-consuming and expensive it is even to get a basic city license.”

In a statement, Official Towing said: “Conflict with customers, and with other towing companies, is also bad for business. Official Towing values its ability to serve the public in Chicago above its right to collect every penny it is owed on every tow.”

Interviews courtesy of WGN News.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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NTSB Preliminary Report Says Mooresville Tanker Driver Called Company to Report Leak 30 Minutes Before Explosion, Inspected Tank, and Was Standing Behind It When Blast Tore Compartment Off and Killed Him

By
Kristina
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MOORESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA — Federal investigators released a preliminary report Thursday on the April 7 tanker explosion at the Carolina Beverage Group plant in Mooresville that killed the truck’s driver and injured a plant employee, revealing that the driver had called his company to report a leak and was standing behind the rear compartment moments before the explosion tore it from the rest of the tank.

What the NTSB Found

The tanker, owned and operated by chemical distribution company Brenntag, was carrying approximately 1,100 gallons of sodium hydroxide — a highly corrosive chemical used in food processing and industrial cleaning. The five-compartment cargo tank had compartments 1 and 5 filled at a Brenntag facility in Lenoir on April 6. The driver completed a delivery from compartment 1 to Carolina Canners Inc. in South Carolina that same day, leaving compartment 5 still full when he arrived in Mooresville the following morning.

Security cameras at the plant recorded the driver arriving at approximately 6:42 a.m. — roughly 30 minutes before the explosion. Shortly after arrival, cameras captured white vapor coming from the underside of the truck near compartment 5. The driver was seen climbing on top of the tank and then going underneath it. Brenntag employees told investigators the driver had called the company to report a leak. Witnesses said the driver was walking behind compartment 5 immediately before the explosion. The blast tore compartment 5 completely off the rest of the tank.

Investigators also noted that the tank’s liquid line hose had not yet been connected to the plant’s receiving line at the time of the explosion. The receiving connection at Carolina Beverage Group was connected to a stainless steel pipe that transfers material to a storage tank. Brenntag estimated damage to the cargo tank at $144,000.

The Victims

The driver, whose identity has not been released, was killed at the scene. A female Carolina Beverage Group employee who was in the blast radius suffered minor injuries and was treated and released at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Investigation Ongoing

The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. The NTSB said all aspects of the incident remain under investigation and the agency plans to issue safety recommendations once a cause is identified. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, FMCSA, Brenntag, Carolina Beverage Group, and Dana Transport.

Background

The explosion occurred at approximately 7:15 a.m. on April 7 at the Carolina Beverage Group plant on Barley Park Lane in Mooresville. Hazmat crews responded and contained the area. A second leak was discovered on a stationary nitrogen tank at the scene and was also contained. Officials said there was no immediate hazard to the surrounding community following the explosion.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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Ohio Truck Driver Says BMV Misread Immigration Rules and Refused His Valid Document 15 Times, Letting His CDL Expire — Driver Faces Job Loss, Attorney Says Training Is Clearly Lacking

By
Kristina
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BMV Refused His Valid Document 15 Times, Letting His CDL Expire

COLUMBUS, OHIO — An Ohio truck driver says the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles repeatedly turned him away when he tried to renew his commercial driver’s license — despite presenting documentation that federal rules explicitly accept — causing his CDL to expire and leaving him unable to work with his job now on the line.

Julio Soto, a Mexican immigrant working on his U.S. citizenship, holds a temporary green card known as a Form I-551. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s own published regulations, the I-551 is an accepted document for CDL renewal in his situation. But Soto said that each time he visited the Ohio BMV — more than 15 times in total — employees told him the document was not acceptable and that he needed a specific 10-year green card instead.

“They would just tell me that, ‘That’s not good, I cannot accept that. You only need a specific 10-year green card’ and all the times I asked, ‘Where does it say that I need a specific 10-year green card?’ They started to get a little aggressive,” Soto said.

Soto requested a formal hearing with the Ohio Department of Public Safety, which oversees the BMV, to address the situation. The hearing was scheduled for a week after his CDL expired. His employer has given him one week to resolve the matter or lose his job.

“They are misreading, misinterpreting these immigration documents and a lot of people are suffering for this,” Soto said.

The Hearing

Soto’s attorney, Philip Gerth, said the hearing held this week was convened to determine whether the BMV will renew Soto’s now-expired CDL. Gerth said the situation points to a broader training failure at the agency.

“Training is necessary. It’s clearly not been issued yet, so we need much better training on this issue,” Gerth said.

The BMV’s Response

Before the hearing, the BMV provided a statement saying FMCSA directs states to require applicants to submit immigration documents meeting federal regulations, specifically 49 CFR 383.71(b)(9) and 49 CFR 383.71(a)(5) Table 1, which states a permanent resident must present a valid unexpired I-551. “We have encouraged the individual referenced in the letter to provide documentation that meets the requirements detailed by FMCSA, an unexpired I-551. Presenting this documentation will allow the BMV to move forward with the application process for his specific credential. If he does not have an unexpired I-551, BMV cannot issue a CDL, per federal regulations,” the BMV said.

When asked to respond to the fact that Soto had presented his I-551 to BMV employees and was still turned away, the BMV stopped responding to media inquiries.

Soto will receive a written decision in his case within 30 days.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Interview courtesy of local media.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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Lakeland Truck Driver Arrested After Beating Driver With Hammer During Road Rage While Children Watched From Back Seat of Victim’s Car

By
Kristina
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WINTER HAVEN, FLORIDA — A Lakeland truck driver faces multiple felony charges after Polk County Sheriff’s deputies say he blocked a driver’s vehicle at a traffic light, beat him, retrieved a hammer from his truck, and repeatedly struck him with it — all in front of the victim’s children who were inside the car.

The incident occurred shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Helena Road and Cypress Gardens Boulevard in Winter Haven. Deputies arrived to find the victim bleeding from the nose. The suspect had already left the scene.

What Happened

According to witness and victim statements, the victim was driving on Cypress Gardens Road when two rock-hauling trucks cut him off. He later passed the trucks and moved into a turn lane for Helena Road. While stopped at a traffic light, one of the trucks pulled in front of the victim’s vehicle, blocking him from leaving.

An argument broke out between the drivers. Jose Rosa Negron, 39, of Lakeland, then opened the victim’s car door and struck him before returning to his truck to retrieve a hammer. Negron came back and repeatedly struck the victim with the hammer, grabbed him by the hair, slammed him to the ground, and continued the attack. The victim suffered a broken nose.

Detectives contacted the registered owner of the trucks, who helped identify Negron as the suspect. He was arrested Thursday.

Sheriff’s Statement

“The suspect furiously attacked another driver; it was violent and brutal, and left the victim bloodied, with a broken nose. Making the situation worse was that it all happened in front of the victim’s children who were in the vehicle with him,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.

Rosa Negron faces the following charges: burglary with battery — a first-degree felony; aggravated battery with a deadly weapon — a second-degree felony; and four counts of false imprisonment — third-degree felonies.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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Indiana State Police Release April 2026 Numbers — 38,233 Traffic Stops, 295 Drunk Driving Arrests, 5,105 CMV Inspections, 540 Overweight Violations, 749 Vehicles and 585 Drivers Out of Service

By
Kristina
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The Indiana State Police released enforcement statistics for April 2026

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — The Indiana State Police released enforcement statistics for April 2026 on Thursday, showing 38,233 traffic stops, 295 drunk driving arrests, and 5,105 commercial vehicle inspections that placed 749 vehicles and 585 drivers out of service.

Traffic Enforcement — April 2026

• 38,233 Total Traffic Stops
• 16,791 Traffic Citations Issued
• 30,479 Traffic Warnings Issued
• 295 Drunk Driving Arrests
• 1,426 Criminal Arrests — Traffic Related
• 1,094 Criminal Arrests — Non-Traffic Related
• 1,485 Seatbelt Citations
• 324 Distracted Driving Citations
• 1,002 Crashes Investigated
• 172 Personal Injury Crashes
• 6 Fatal Crashes

Troopers also assisted 2,699 motorists with disabled vehicles during the month, including flat tires, mechanical issues, and vehicles out of fuel.

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement — April 2026

• 5,105 Total CMV Inspections Completed
• 585 Drivers Placed Out of Service
• 749 Vehicles Placed Out of Service
• 33 Oversize Violations
• 540 Overweight Violations

ISP said its enforcement efforts are part of Governor Braun’s public safety platform. “It’s not about writing tickets; it’s about saving lives,” the agency said. Community members are encouraged to report suspicious or illegal activity on Indiana roadways by calling 911.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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‘Safe Spacing Saves Lives’: La Porte County Sheriff Warns Commercial Drivers That Following Too Closely Is a Leading Cause of Rear-End Crashes After Four CMVs Trigger Pileup on US 30

By
Kristina
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LA PORTE COUNTY, INDIANA — A chain-reaction crash involving four commercial vehicles and one passenger vehicle on westbound US 30 east of State Road 39 injured three people and restricted traffic for several hours Tuesday afternoon, with investigators determining the cause was following too closely.

La Porte County Sheriff’s Office

The crash occurred at approximately 5 p.m. on May 5, 2026. Two commercial vehicles and a passenger vehicle were stopped at an intersection for a traffic control device when a third CMV traveling westbound crashed into the rear of the stopped passenger vehicle, forcing it off the roadway. A fourth CMV then plowed into the rear of the initial crashed vehicles. Three drivers sustained injuries of varying degrees.

La Porte County Sheriff’s Office Administrative Captain Derek J. Allen used the crash to remind all drivers — especially commercial vehicle operators — of the dangers of following too closely. “Following too closely is a leading cause of rear-end crashes. Drivers should maintain a safe distance between vehicles to allow enough time to react to sudden stops or changing roadway conditions. Safe spacing saves lives,” Allen said.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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California Truck Driver Buys His First-Ever Lottery Ticket During Rest Stop in Maryland and Wins $100,000 — Plans to Use Winnings for Down Payment on New Home

By
Kristina
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NORTH EAST, MARYLAND — A Southern California truck driver stopped for a rest break at a Pilot Travel Center in Cecil County and walked away $100,000 richer after buying his very first lottery ticket on a whim — crediting the win entirely to beginner’s luck.

The driver was taking a break at the Pilot Travel Center at 1 Center Drive in North East before heading back across the country when he spotted a Maryland Lottery vending machine. Having never played the lottery before, he decided to give it a try. “Why not? I have time to kill,” he recalled thinking. He selected the $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-off, a $25 game, drawn to it because he had enjoyed crossword puzzles growing up.

As he scratched the ticket, he described feeling overwhelmed with nervousness. After playing the entire card, he scanned it to confirm what he suspected — he had won $100,000, the game’s second-tier prize. Overcome with excitement, he gathered his belongings and rushed home to share the news with his partner. His nervousness, he said, was not about the win itself but about keeping the ticket safe until he could claim the prize.

The driver claimed his winnings on May 4 at Maryland Lottery headquarters in Baltimore. He characterized the win as beginner’s luck and said he does not plan to make lottery games a regular habit, though he may occasionally try his luck again while on the road.

He already has plans for the money — at least part of it will go toward a down payment on a new home.

The $1,000,000 Crossword scratch-off launched in February as the Maryland Lottery’s first $25 scratch-off game. The game launched with four $1 million top prizes, three of which remain unclaimed. Eight $100,000 second-tier prizes also remain in circulation.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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Commercial Driver Admits to Dumping 420 Pounds of Cardboard and Trash on I-10 Shoulder After Witnesses Film It and Troopers Track Him Down — Criminal Charges Expected

By
Kristina
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0

BENSON, ARIZONA — An Arizona Department of Public Safety trooper tracked down a commercial vehicle driver who admitted to dumping approximately 420 pounds of cardboard boxes and other trash on the shoulder of Interstate 10 near Benson on May 1, 2026. Criminal charges are expected.

Troopers received reports of a male subject throwing boxes from a commercial motor vehicle onto the shoulder of I-10 near North Sibyl Road. By the time troopers arrived, the vehicle had left the scene. However, reporting parties had recorded video of the boxes being dumped and provided it to troopers. Using that footage, troopers tracked down the driver, who admitted to littering on the highway.

Arizona Department of Transportation crews responded to help remove the trash and determined the total weight of the dumped material — cardboard boxes and other trash — was approximately 420 pounds.

AZDPS used the incident to remind drivers to respect Arizona’s landscape. “Arizona has beautiful landscapes that we all work together to protect. This isn’t it. Help us keep our state and its stunning wildlife safe by holding your trash until it can be disposed of in a proper trash can,” the agency said.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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Nashville Police Find Bloodied Man on Top of Semi at Gas Station — Had Broken Into Construction Business, Barricaded Himself in Manager’s Office, and Fled Leaving Trail of Blood; Admitted to Taking Narcotics

By
Kristina
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0

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE — A man was found bloodied and intoxicated on top of a semi-truck parked at a Murfreesboro Pike gas station in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 5, after allegedly breaking into a construction equipment rental business across the street, causing extensive damage, and then barricading himself inside a manager’s office before fleeing.

Metro Nashville Police Department responded shortly after 4 a.m. to the 1300 block of Murfreesboro Pike on reports of a disorderly individual covered in blood climbing on top of a semi. Officers found Jose Manuel Gomez, 45, on top of the truck with a severe laceration to his right hand — consistent with breaking out windows at Herc Rentals, a construction equipment business directly across the street. Surveillance video captured Gomez at the scene. At the hospital, Gomez admitted to taking a narcotic prior to the incident.

What Happened at Herc Rentals

Josh Eatherly, a manager at Herc Rentals, described the scene to authorities and media after staff arrived early and found the damage. “I’ve only seen the video of him coming up here and busting out the front door, and like I said, he’s just stumbling in, looked like he didn’t know where he was at or what he was wanting to do. He was just trying to create chaos,” Eatherly said.

According to Eatherly, Gomez grabbed a piece of metal, threw it through the front door, entered the building, went into the manager’s office, and began pulling out drawers. “He actually grabbed a piece of metal out there, threw it through, came through the door, proceeded to go in here, look around, ended up going into our manager’s office, where he proceeded to pull out drawers, trying to see whatever he could grab,” Eatherly said.

Gomez then broke a window in the manager’s office rather than exiting through the door he had already broken. Eatherly said Gomez appeared to believe he was trapped. “I believe somehow he thought he was barricaded in our manager’s office, even though the door was not locked, so he broke the handle off the door, barricaded himself in there, and I guess assumed the only way out was to bust the window,” Eatherly said. Surveillance footage showed Gomez hopping the fence and running to the gas station across the street, leaving a trail of blood. “You can track the blood from our manager’s office all the way to the gas station where he went,” Eatherly said.

The incident also cost the business hours of productivity. “My manager got here at 6, I got here shortly after, and for the first two or three hours out of our day, we were having to deal with the police, deal with the security footage, call the window company to get them back out here and replace this, and it took up a lot of time out of our day,” Eatherly said.

Charges and Immigration Hold

Gomez is being held at the Davidson County Downtown Detention Center on a $10,000 bond for felony burglary. He is not eligible for release because Immigration and Customs Enforcement has placed a hold on him. Records show Gomez was previously arrested in Nashville in 2014 after police found two small children unattended in his vehicle in a big box store parking lot.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Interview courtesy of local media.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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Full Scope of Georgia Train Derailment Revealed — Four Railcars Down, One Came to Rest on Propane Tank, Residents Left Without Power and Water After Unlicensed Truck Driver Struck Train

By
Kristina
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0

MONROE COUNTY, GEORGIA — Cleanup crews worked through Wednesday and into the night after a Norfolk Southern train derailed near Juliette following a pre-dawn collision with a semi-truck driven by an unlicensed Florida driver who was also found with marijuana. Four railcars derailed — down from an initial estimate of seven — and one briefly came to rest on a nearby propane tank before both were safely removed.

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What Happened

Shortly before 3:30 a.m. on May 6, a tractor-trailer driven by Kheino Bennett, 44, of Riviera Beach, Florida, struck a Norfolk Southern train at a railroad crossing on Highway 83 North at Berner Loop in Macon County. Bennett told deputies he saw the crossing arm down and the lights flashing but realized too late he could not stop in time. He applied his brakes and steered to avoid the train, causing the truck to overturn and strike one of the train cars. The impact caused four railcars to derail, bringing the train to a stop in the area of Juliette Road and McCrackin Street.

Bennett was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug-related objects, and operating a commercial motor vehicle without a valid license.

What Was on the Train

Norfolk Southern said the derailed cars were carrying intermodal freight with packaged goods. One railcar contained a small amount of household items classified as flammable, including lithium batteries. The company confirmed the items were not damaged and did not pose a risk to the public. A railcar briefly came to rest on a nearby propane tank, but both were safely removed without incident.

Norfolk Southern said crews spent the day rerailing cars and clearing the tracks and will continue working through Wednesday night as cleanup operations and track restoration efforts continue.

Impact on Residents

The derailment disrupted daily life for people living in the area. Derwood McComb, a resident who recently moved nearby, said he woke up with no food, no water, and no power — and found himself unable to get in or out of the area.

“Got no food and no water, no power. I mean, it’s ridiculous,” McComb said. “I’m frustrated. I’m very frustrated because I can’t get out and go do what I need to do.”

McComb said he ended up walking three miles to get to work because access roads were blocked. “I ended up walking the three miles to work just so I could go to work,” he said.

He also expressed disbelief at the circumstances that led to the derailment. “A non-licensed driver driving a semi-truck trying to beat a train — I mean, that’s unreal,” McComb said. He hopes the situation prompts changes to improve access in and out of the area. “I hope they talk to the new owner and find a way to make another entrance so this don’t happen again,” he said.

Highway 83 North at Berner Loop has reopened. Juliette Road at McCrackin Street remains closed and is expected to stay closed for a lengthy period of time. Drivers are advised to use alternate routes.

All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Resident interview courtesy of local media.

📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.

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