A series of brutal killings of tow truck drivers in recent months have industry officials concerned that violence could increase amid a surge in car impoundments nationwide.
Authorities said Steven Hughes Jr., 46, was attempting to impound a vehicle in Lexington County, near Columbia, South Carolina, on June 12 when he was stopped by Raheem Jackson, 20.
Police were then called to the scene to find the tow truck’s lights flashing and the driver’s side door open and riddled with gunfire.
According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Hughes was found in his truck with five gunshot wounds and was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
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Raheem Jackson and his sister, Essence Jackson, are accused of murdering South Carolina tow truck driver Steven Hughes. (Legacy.com/Richland County Sheriff’s Office)
Jackson and her sister, Essence Jackson, 19, who did not own the car, were later arrested and charged with murder.
Hughes “always had a reportage story ready and loved to recount his experiences as a tow truck driver,” his obituary said.
About a month before Hughes was killed, towing company owner Greg Hostetler, 48, was shot and killed at his workplace in Macon, Georgia, during a dispute over payment, investigators said.
Police say 25-year-old Timon Perry got into an argument with Hostetler over a $50 debt, and the argument escalated into violence.
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Tow truck driver Stephen Hughes (pictured: mother and daughter) was killed while impounding a car on June 12th. (Change.org)
At some point, Perry allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Hostetler in the head, killing him.
Police say a man who had just retrieved a vehicle that had been towed from a New Jersey storage facility in February following an altercation is suspected of later returning to the store and shooting a staff member.
Around 12 tow truck drivers were reportedly killed and many more injured in crashes across the country.
A Kentucky tow truck driver managed to survive after he was allegedly stabbed and shot by 58-year-old homeless man Samad Green while attempting to tow a Ford Focus in March.
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Timon Perry is accused of murdering tow truck driver Greg Hostetler in Georgia. (Macon County Sheriff’s Office/GoFundMe)
According to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, the driver, Larry Dahan, told detectives that he gave Green an opportunity to retrieve some belongings from the vehicle, and Green then pulled out a steak knife and stabbed Dahan in the hand, then shot Dahan.
“He’s cutting me!” Darran can be heard yelling in the 911 call, Local 12 reported. “He’s shooting at me.”
Police arrived on scene and took Green into custody.
Industry experts argue that given the notable increase in auto repossessions in recent years, the rise in repo-related disruptions could quickly get out of control.
Cox Automotive said 1.5 million vehicles will be repossessed from owners due to non-payment in 2023, up from 1.2 million in 2022.
The figures for the first quarter of 2024 indicate that this trend will worsen further.
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Tow truck driver Larry Dahan was driving his vehicle in northern Kentucky when he was allegedly stabbed by Samad Green. (Boone County Sheriff’s Office)
rise Interest level According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, layoffs across a range of industries have led to 30-day delinquency rates on auto loans rising to 9 percent and 90-day delinquency rates rising to nearly 3 percent.
While it’s a boon for the auto towing industry, operators worry about the risks associated with impoundments given a surge in violent clashes between drivers and owners.
Some towing company owners said it is becoming increasingly difficult to find workers willing to take on the life-threatening job.
Anna Wingard, president of the South Carolina Towing and Recovery Association and owner of Wingard Towing, told Fox News Digital she is struggling to hire and retain employees.
“We’ve seen an increase in violence against tow truck drivers,” she said. “The economy is tough right now. People are having to choose between buying groceries to feed their families and making their car payments, and it’s a stressful situation.”
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Anna Wingard, president of the South Carolina Towing and Recovery Association, poses with her husband. (Courtesy of Kimberly Rauch)
Wingard’s company doesn’t repossess cars because it increases the risk to drivers and makes it harder for them to get expensive insurance, and the organization’s vice president stopped repossessing cars after an enraged driver ran over his own hand.
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Wingard added that all towing work is dangerous: Towing industry workers are 15 times more likely to die than workers in all other private industries combined. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“No matter what aspect you look at it in any area of towing, it’s extremely dangerous,” Wingard said.
