Aug 6, 2010 8:28 pm US/Central
Need A Tow? That'll Be $3,000
Truck Firm Claimed Scuba Divers Were Needed For Job, Car Owner Says
Reporting
Mike Puccinelli
BELLWOOD, Ill. (CBS) ―
Victims of the recent floods are still waiting for government aid to help pay for the damage. But that doesn't mean the bills aren't already piling up.
And some of those bills may be surprisingly high. CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli breaks down the charges for one tow truck to move one car out of the flood waters.
Jeffrey Johnson's Honda Acura became caught in the floodwaters last week in Bellwood. Losing his family's car to the flood was shocking to the Berkely man, but getting hit with this $2,850 tow bill may have been even worse.
"It's legal robbery," he said. "They're getting away with murder."
Johnson says O'Hare Towing operators said removing the vehicle required scuba divers who had to hook the vehicle before it could be pulled out. He has his doubts, though, because he walked out the car himself and water was only up to his knees.
The water line in the vehicle seems to back up his claim. The lower portion is clearly water damaged, but the top seemed to be totally dry.
Diane Zatezalo of Gerber Collision & Glass has been in the car repair business for a decade but has never seen a tow bill this high. She also doesn't think a scuba diver would have been needed for the job, based on what she sees.
Also skeptical is Matt Simmons, who owns his own towing company, AMJ Towing & Recovery. He says he towed dozens of cars out of the flood waters, which sometimes went up to his chest.
"My bills were about $400," he said.
He says the $675 labor fee, $825 winching fee and $960 miscellaneous fee all seem exorbitantly high in Johnson's bill.
"It's a disgrace to our industry, and it just makes it harder and harder and harder for good companies with good names to make money," Simmons said.
Repeated calls to O'Hare towing were not returned.
Johnson will not have to pay the bill himself; his insurance company will.
But he is still upset because he feels high bills like this raises premiums for everyone.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
(article link http://cbs2chicago.com/local/tow.job.flood.2.1847672.html )
Need A Tow? That'll Be $3,000
Truck Firm Claimed Scuba Divers Were Needed For Job, Car Owner Says
Reporting
Mike Puccinelli
BELLWOOD, Ill. (CBS) ―
Victims of the recent floods are still waiting for government aid to help pay for the damage. But that doesn't mean the bills aren't already piling up.
And some of those bills may be surprisingly high. CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli breaks down the charges for one tow truck to move one car out of the flood waters.
Jeffrey Johnson's Honda Acura became caught in the floodwaters last week in Bellwood. Losing his family's car to the flood was shocking to the Berkely man, but getting hit with this $2,850 tow bill may have been even worse.
"It's legal robbery," he said. "They're getting away with murder."
Johnson says O'Hare Towing operators said removing the vehicle required scuba divers who had to hook the vehicle before it could be pulled out. He has his doubts, though, because he walked out the car himself and water was only up to his knees.
The water line in the vehicle seems to back up his claim. The lower portion is clearly water damaged, but the top seemed to be totally dry.
Diane Zatezalo of Gerber Collision & Glass has been in the car repair business for a decade but has never seen a tow bill this high. She also doesn't think a scuba diver would have been needed for the job, based on what she sees.
Also skeptical is Matt Simmons, who owns his own towing company, AMJ Towing & Recovery. He says he towed dozens of cars out of the flood waters, which sometimes went up to his chest.
"My bills were about $400," he said.
He says the $675 labor fee, $825 winching fee and $960 miscellaneous fee all seem exorbitantly high in Johnson's bill.
"It's a disgrace to our industry, and it just makes it harder and harder and harder for good companies with good names to make money," Simmons said.
Repeated calls to O'Hare towing were not returned.
Johnson will not have to pay the bill himself; his insurance company will.
But he is still upset because he feels high bills like this raises premiums for everyone.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
(article link http://cbs2chicago.com/local/tow.job.flood.2.1847672.html )
