Wireless technology company Qualcomm Inc. said Monday that it has improved its FleetAdvisor software to include support for wireless local area networks.

FleetAdvisor is a transportation logistics management system that allows for on-board computing, vehicle tracking, highly integrated back-office software and real-time wireless communications.

New version 5.1 also includes fleet status monitoring and expanded web-enabled functionality, the company said.

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Diesel prices remained relatively unchanged for a second straight week despite recurring tensions in the Middle East and high-level meetings between key oil producer Saudi Arabia and the United States.

For the week ending April 29, the national average cost for a gallon of diesel closed at $1.302, down just two-tenths of a cent from April 22, according to figures released by the U.S. Department of Energy. Oil prices had fluctuated on suggestions that Saudi Arabia, which produces a large percentage of oil bound for U.S. markets, might leverage its oil supply in a deal to put more political pressure on Israel.

But Saudi Arabia denied it would use its oil to affect a resolution in months of violence between Israel and the Palestinian territories. The political wrangling and fluctuations in the price of oil had little effect on the domestic price for diesel, which has fallen a mere two cents since it reached a six-month high April 8.

The price is 16 cents higher than it was three months ago. Fuel rose sharply over the past two months as violence in the Middle East and oil production cuts have influenced supplies and speculation.

Prices remained highest on the West Coast and in New England. In New England and along the Gulf Coast prices edged slightly higher, while all other districts fell slightly or remained unchanged.

To check prices in your area go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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TEXAS -- The Harris County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate a shooting that occurred at Pierce and Pierce Wrecker Co. at 12934 Beaumont Highway.

Deputies were called to the scene shortly after 11 p.m. to investigate a possible attempted murder and suicide.
According to HCSO reports, a 29-year-old Hispanic female was found in the business and residence with two bullet wounds, one in the arm and one in the stomach.

The woman, later identified as Daphne Pierce, was Life-flighted to Hermann Memorial Hospital in critical condition.

The alleged gunman was her husband, Billy C. Pierce, who was found dead with a single gunshot to the right temple. The revolver was found at the scene.

The couple's two children were at the residence at the time of the shooting.

Details of the shooting and motive were sketchy at best, and homicide detectives were awaiting findings of the medical examiner's office.

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In a five-city tour to introduce its 2003 commercial products, General Motors is revealing facelifted Sierra/Silverado pickups with features designed to appeal strongly to fleet and commercial users, as well as updates for its new mediums.

The new medium GMC Top Kick and Chevrolet Kodiak are the lynchpin for GM’s commercial and fleet products, which contribute no less than 26% of GM’s sales. The Top Kick/Kodiak range of Class 4 through medium Class 8 entered production with the lighter vehicles in late April. May should see the 4500/5500 "Family 2" GMC Top Kick and Chevy Kodiak models appearing at dealers.

Later in the year, production will start for the 6500, 7500 and 8500 models, coinciding with the full-scale implementation of the medium-duty marketing effort under GM Isuzu Commercial Truck (GMICT). Starting in September, this joint venture will handle all medium-duty sales, marketing and dealer support for the Top Kick/Kodiak as well as the Isuzu low cab forward products with Isuzu, GMC and Chevy badges.

For the Sierra and Silverado pickups, there’s also enhancements to the electricals, new sound systems and enhanced comfort with more supportive seating and dual zone HVAC.

The redesigned instrument panel includes a message center, which monitors up to 34 vehicle functions.

Revisions to the air-bag supplementary restraint system now provide a two-level deployment depending on the severity of an accident, along with automatic front-seat passenger sensing. Avoiding the collision in the first place, the trucks have reduced brake pedal efforts for enhanced braking.

Like the '02 International, The electrical system is fully multiplexed, with the trucks divided into three zones for the engine, interior and body. This greatly simplifies the installation of towing units by reducing wires, splices and connectors. It also makes for greater reliability and durability while adding the ability to diagnose components to make it a smart system.

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MISSOURI -- The state Senate passed a transportation funding bill on Wednesday that would raise the tax on diesel fuel gasoline to 23 cents a gallon from the current 17 cents, the Associated Press reported. Revenues from the tax would toward improving roads and bridges

This tax means tow operators will have to pay $3 more each time they fill-up a 50 gallon tank.

The legislation is subject to statewide vote in August. If approved, the new taxes would take effect Jan. 1.

The bill would also raise the state sales tax to 4.6 cents per dollar. Some of this money would be used to fund ethanol and biodiesel programs.

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IDAHO --  A recent three-vehicle accident choked traffic at Coeur d'Alene's busiest intersection while tow-truck drivers squabbled over which car they would haul away.

Police Chief Tom Cronin said responding tow operators wanted the wrecked Mercedes, not the Yugo.

It was a safe bet the Mercedes owner would pay the towing debt, while the tow truck that towed the Yugo would most likely be working for free. But the arguing delayed cleanup of the accident scene.

Working not to help tow operators get paid, but only to improve efficiencies for city-initiated tows, a City Council subcommittee has recommended the city solicit proposals for a single tow-truck provider.

Cronin believes that contracting with a single towing company will result in better service and smoother traffic flows.

"All I want is enough tow trucks to come and keep the city free of obstacles -- it's been a problem," Cronin told the General Services Committee this week.

But most towing firms object to the single-source towing provider plan, because it will ultimately increase costs to the consumer, delay response times and hurt their business.

Currently, five Lake City towing firms rotate calls dispatched by city police.

"I don't think it's the way to go because one provider can't service the community the way that several can," said Pam McCall, who owns Rainbow Towing with her husband, Tim.

Dave Mallery, owner of Rocky's Body Shop and Towing, said contracting with a single towing company will eliminate competition and drive up prices.

"Your proposal will create a monopoly, not free enterprise," Mallery said.

Not so, say city officials. Soliciting bids will promote competition among towers. And consideration will be given to towing fees in awarding the two-year contract, Assistant City Attorney Reese Sterett said.

Lt. Ron Clark claimed a contractual agreement between the city and tow provider would stipulate a response time of under 20 minutes and save the city money by cutting staff time monitoring five towing companies.

Still, towing operators say they will lose about 10 percent of their business if the city cancels the rotation process.

Brian Mitchell of Rainbow Towing said city tows generated $17,300 in business for Rainbow last year.

Despite a 20-minute time limit, Mitchell said, a single tow company may get "lackadaisical" in the absence of competition.

Lavern Schaffer of Schaffer's Towing, the single-source tow provider to the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department for three years, said she did not oppose the plan to eliminate the rotation. She said holding one company responsible for towing would encourage better service.

Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson said the single operator contract has worked well for his department.

Watson said a large percentage of tow calls from the sheriff's department are for abandoned, junk vehicles.

Often, it is difficult, if not impossible, to collect towing fees for unwanted, junk cars. Under the rotation system, some towers, knowing they would never get paid for their services, would simply not respond to an abandoned vehicle call. But the city said a towing firm under contract would have no choice but to work for free.

Even towers who may be interested in bidding to be the sole provider see a down side to the process, McCall said.

"I don't know that any of the companies that are currently on the rotation are truly set up to be the one company (to provide service)," McCall said.

"We (Rainbow Towing) would have to make major changes," she said. "We would have to have several guys on call 24 hours a day so if an emergency from city came up we'd have somebody available."

The City Council on May 7 will consider a unanimous recommendation from the General Services Committee to solicit requests for proposals from towing companies.

Lt. Clark said a contract could be awarded as early as June. (Thanks Teresa)

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FLORIDA -- A Hillsborough County deputy is in Tampa General Hospital after slamming his cruiser into a tow truck.

Deputy Richard Fitzpatrck was responding to a call around 11 p.m. Tuesday night, with his lights and siren on. A tow truck allegedly made an illegal U-turn right in front of him on Highway 60, just east of 50th Street.

Fitzpatrick claims he was unable to avoid hitting the tow truck and the two collided. Deputy Fitzpatrick was trapped in his patrol car for almost two hours before being flown to the hospital. He remains in stable condition.

The driver of the tow truck, David Riley, initially told investigators that he never saw the cruiser, but later admitted that he had. He was taken to Orient Road Jail and charged with making a false report. (Thanks Mark)

PICTURE

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CALIFORNIA -- A Metro Blue Line train approaching the Vernon station in southeast Los Angeles was struck by a tow truck Wednesday morning, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said.

He said an initial report that the truck had been rear-ended into the train's path could not be confirmed as of 1:10 p.m.

The injured driver of the tow truck was taken to County-USC Medical Center. The seriousness of his injuries was not immediately known, said Ed Scannell, a spokesman for the MTA. He did not know the train's speed, but said it was heading north when the tow truck plunged through a fence running alongside the track and struck the side of the train's first car.

The accident occurred about 11:40 a.m. near 48th Place and Long Beach Avenue. Northbound and southbound lines were temporarily closed. (Thanks Frank)

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Chevron calls its new Proformix fuel a low-emission diesel alternative, and claims it cuts emissions dramatically in direct-injection diesel engines.

The company describes Proformix as a “water-in-fuel” diesel blend that uses Lubrizol’s PuriNOx technology to lower nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 30 percent and particulate matter as much as 50 percent.

Chevron says Profomix can be used immediately, without modifications to existing engines or to most storage equipment.

In the PuriNOx technology, high-speed processing creates tiny water droplets. The droplets are encapsulated by additives that prevent them from coalescing, which Chevron says makes them invisible to the engine and provides stability to the mixture. The droplets increase atomization of the diesel/air charge within the cylinder and lower peak combustion temperature, resulting in reduced NOx, particulate matter and other emissions.

The California Air Resources Board independently verified emissions reductions with Proformix use; CARB's data showed a particulate matter reduction of 63 percent and NOx reduction of 14 percent. Chevron says California users may qualify for financial incentive programs. The company also says other states are considering Proformix as a part of their own emissions-reduction plans.

Chevron is targeting on- and off-highway, centrally fueled diesel fleets, and is selling Proformix to commercial customers out of its Montebello terminal in Southern California. More information regarding Proformix is available at (800) 842-1459 or www.chevronproformix.com.

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FLORIDA -- All tow companies in Martin County must now charge uniform rates for non-consensual tows, county commissioners decided Tuesday, taking away the businesses' ability to charge what is truly appropriate for the service rendered

The new rules cap towing costs for a car or small truck at $85 for a hookup, $2.50 a mile and up to $20 for administrative fees. The first six hours of storage are free, but tow companies can charge $20 a day for outside storage and $25 a day to impound a vehicle indoors.

County Commissioner Elmira Gainey proposed the rules three weeks ago, after people that parked illegally and got towed, claimed they had been charged $300 to get back their towed vehicles. Just a few days after her request, County Administrator Russ Blackburn claimed he only had to pay $200 to get his Ford Explorer back after it was towed from a lot in Palm City.

"It's for the protection of our citizens," Gainey said after voting for the fee limits. "And the businesses should be able to survive." He speculated.

Several local tow company owners didn't agree Tuesday, arguing a county government should not regulate what a private business can charge.

"There is absolutely nothing horrendous about the fees that we charge. I don't believe this is a devastating impact on the community. Tornadoes and hurricanes are a devastating impact on the community, not parking illegally," said Leslie Fiore, owner of Action Towing.

Others said they wouldn't dispute uniform fees if the county worked with the tow companies to create them. They didn't

"Take the time and understand how we come up with the rates," said Jose Herrera, general manager of Martin County Towing. "We understand there has to be some sort of medium ground that's fair for all of us."

County Attorney Stephen Fry said state law gives local governments the ability to cap these fees. Stuart, Port St. Lucie and Palm Beach County already have instituted similar limits, he said.

Commissioner Doug Smith admitted that tow companies provide an essential service in the community, but then exclaimed "but they shouldn't have a lot of discretion in how much to charge"

Apparently, only County Commissioners with no business experience whatsoever are qualified to set rates.

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Navistar International Corp. said Tuesday it will increase prices for diesel engines used in medium-duty trucks by $1,850 in October, Bloomberg reported.

The company called the increase an emissions-related surcharge. It applies to all its engines between 175 and 330 horsepower.

Navistar and six other makers of truck engines agreed in 1998 to reduce nitrogen-oxide emissions by this October. Other engine makers such as Cummins Inc., Detroit Diesel and Caterpillar Inc. haven't announced price increases yet, Bloomberg said.

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TENNESSEE -- Miller Industries Inc., a supplier of towing and recovery equipment, has amended its credit agreements with its lenders to cure all defaults under, and modify certain business terms of the agreements.

The company said on April 2 that it was in default under its subordinated credit facility. Its debt level at Dec. 31 totaled about $104 million.

In a press release, the company said the execution of these amendments allowed it to finalize its audited financial statements and include them in its Form 10- K for 2001, which it filed Monday.

Miller said the latest statements reflect a change in the tax provision from its previously reported unaudited fourth-quarter and 2001 results.

The company said the change arises from its reassessment of the realizability of its deferred tax assets based in part on the accelerated amortization schedule provided for in the amended credit agreements, and reflects a non- recurring non-cash-deferred tax asset valuation allowance of $7.1 million.

Miller said the restated results for the fourth quarter include a loss of $ 17.7 million or $1.90 a share and a $1.9 million income tax expense. In the year, the restated results include a loss of $20.4 million or $2.18 a share and a $700,000 income tax benefit.

As reported, the company originally reported a loss of $10.6 million or $1.14 a share, including $16.5 million in impairment charges, in its unaudited financial report. For the year, Miller reported a loss of $13.3 million or $1.42 a share, including charges.

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Iraqi President Saddam Hussein called for Arab oil exporters to stop sales to the United States and Israel, the Associated Press reported Monday.

Crude oil is refined to produce gasoline and diesel fuel, making its price crucial to the towing industry. An oil embargo would cause prices for these fuels to rise.

Hussein's remarks came less than a month after he announced Iraq was cutting off oil exports for 30 days or until Israel withdraws from Palestinian territories. He also recommended these nations cut their total exports in half.

Other Arabs refused to follow his lead earlier and they were unlikely to heed his call Monday, AP said.

Also Monday, Saudi oil minister Ali Naimi said that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries may increase production in the coming months.

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For the second week in a row, diesel prices retreated from a six-month high. For the week ending April 22, the average cost of a gallon of diesel fell to $1.304, down nearly 2 cents from April 8.

The price, down 1.6 cents from April 15, is still more than 16 cents higher than diesel cost in January, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Fuel rose sharply over the past two months as violence in the Middle East and oil production cuts have influenced supplies and speculation.

For diesel prices in your area go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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CALIFORNIA -- The former manager of a Gardena towing company, accused of operating a black market air bag business in Gardena and in Mexico, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of attempting to receive stolen merchandise.

Harvey Byalick, whose wife owns the Arrow Auto Tow business that once held Gardena's city towing franchise, accepted the last-minute deal as a jury deliberated charges against him.

“In the end, this was about safety. We don't want air bags floating around if they're not lawfully acquired,” Deputy District Attorney Antony Myers said.

In the deal offered by Myers, the state dropped two felony counts of receiving stolen merchandise against Byalick in exchange for his guilty plea on the single felony count.

The settlement also calls for Byalick to serve 90 days in jail and three years' probation in addition to paying a $10,000 fine and any future civil judgments against him, Myers said.

Byalick's attorney said he had hoped for a better conclusion.

“I'd be much happier if all the charges were dismissed but I'm glad he was able to resolve this on his own,” Michael Norris said.

Superior Court Judge Lance Ito presided over the trial, which began April 9 with jury selection and ended with jurors in deliberation since Wednesday.

Ito said he learned more about shipping and the air bag business than he ever dreamed.

“I had no idea how pricey the market was,” he told jurors after the trial. “Now I know how General Motors makes the money it does.”

In an earlier interview, GM attorney Jay Cooney said the automotive giant suffered “significant losses” as a result of Byalick's case.

Byalick's woes started after investigators raided Arrow at 1435 W. 135th St. on Feb. 7, 2001, and found several hundred air bags still in GM boxes. U.S. Customs agents later seized a truck in Laredo, Texas, with shipments for Byalick that were estimated to be worth $1.4 million. Records removed from Byalick's Gardena home were forwarded to the Internal Revenue Service.

In December, a grand jury indicted Byalick in connection with running a black-market operation that sold hundreds of thousands of dollars in air bags taken from the General Motors plant in Silao, Guanajuato, Mexico.

Byalick claimed he did not know the parts were stolen but the man known among Mexican GM workers as the “guy to go to with stolen parts” claimed otherwise, said Fabian Ospina, the lead detective from the Task Force for Regional Autotheft Prevention.

TRAP spent a year probing Byalick's air bag business, crisscrossing the country and making trips to Mexico.

The case, Ospina said, was partially built around whether Byalick should have known the air bags were stolen because of the low prices he had been paying.

Black market air bags are purchased for $25 to $60, resold for about $150 and retail to consumers for about $600 per bag. Dealership-installed bags acquired legally retail for as much as $825.

GM recovered 1,372 air bags but did not find another 1,603 shipped to Byalick in 2000 and 2001. The loss was estimated at $866,000 based on what dealers would have paid. (Traci Jai Isaacs - Daily Breeze)

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NEW JERSEY -- Four people with ties to Pino's Towing/Hoboken Autobody in Hoboken have pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion of more than $900,000 from 1994 to 1997.

Pino's currently holds an exclusive municipal contract to tow improperly parked cars in the city on behalf of the Hoboken Police Department, as well as non-resident cars for the Parking Authority.

The company, located at 620 Jackson St., also helps the city tow cars in the event of extreme weather or similar emergencies, and rents space to the city for its recycling center.

According to officials from the Parking Authority and the Police Department, last year alone the company towed approximately 10,000 cars. Their contract with the Parking Authority runs through June of this year.

In February of 1999, FBI agents and officials from the Internal Revenue Service raided Pino's. After a two-year investigation, they filed charges in federal court.

According to U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie, Theresa Pino, 53, of Hoboken, pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion in connection with her personal tax return for 1996 and for subscribing to a false corporate tax return for Hoboken Auto Body in 1997.

Vincent Tubito, 51, formerly of Hoboken, and now of Davie, Fla., also pleaded guilty to personal tax evasion for 1996 and for assisting in filing a false corporate tax return for 1997. Tubito is a certified public accountant whose wife is a shareholder in Hoboken Auto Body. Tubito maintained computer records of the business's cash receipts, Christie said.

Bill Pino, 39, of Lake Hiawatha, and Yvette Pino Giaquinto, a former Hoboken resident, pleaded guilty and were charged with filing a false personal tax return in 1996.

Giaquinto's sentencing is scheduled for July 31. The other three have not scheduled a sentencing date, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

According to Christie, each defendant admitted to being aware that Hoboken Auto Body maintained a "double set of books," one set showing the cash profits and the other not showing them. The three defendants admitted in federal court that from 1994 through 1997, cash proceeds totaling about $100,000 in 1994, $250,000 in 1995, $325,000 in 1996, and $225,000 in 1997, were distributed equally among the shareholders.

Tubito has admitted to preparing and keeping computer spreadsheets showing the accurate financial numbers for all cash transactions for Hoboken Auto Body, including amounts of cash profits received and distributed to shareholders, according to Christie. Theresa Pino, the daily manager of the business, admitted providing the false set of books to an outside accountant for the preparation of the corporate tax return, according to Christie.

The three will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alfred M. Wolin. Theresa Pino and Tubito face a maximum of five years in federal prison and a $100,000 fine for tax evasion, and three years and a $100,000 fine for subscribing falsely to a tax return.

Bill Pino faces a maximum three years in prison and a $100,000 fine. In addition, the defendants must file amended and corporate tax returns before sentencing and may be ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution of the case.

Under U.S. sentencing guidelines, Wolin will determine the defendants' actual sentences based on a formula that takes into account the severity and characteristics of the offenses and the defendants' criminal history, if any.

Since parole has been abolished in the federal system, any custodial sentence handed down must be served through its duration. (Thanks Robert)

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FLORIDA -- A tow truck driver repossessing a vehicle Wednesday in Arcadia was threatened by two teen-age residents, one who wielded a shovel and the other who threw a heavy glass container at the tow truck.

According to the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office, Katie Lynn Pelham, 19, and her brother, Christopher Allen Pelham, 17, both became agitated when the victim attempted to tow a red F-150 Ford pickup truck from their home.

The report states that while the victim attempted to load the pickup on his tow truck, Christopher came out of the residence and threw a glass container into the driver's side door in an attempt to break the window.

"Christopher Allen Pelham had also yelled that he was going to kill (the tow truck driver) and that he was going to shoot him," the report says.

The victim also told deputies Christopher entered the pickup and attempted to back the vehicle off the tow truck, which pulled the tow truck backward and into an orange tree, causing minor damage.

The driver of the tow truck then pulled forward, which caused the pickup to come off of its hitch, causing damage to the front bumper.

"While Christopher was in the F-150 trying to get it off the tow truck, the (tow truck driver) stated a female later identified as Katie Lynn Pelham, also came out of the house at the same location and ... got a shovel and returned to the (tow truck)," the report continues.

Katie allegedly struck the tow truck's front hood and also used the shovel to break the front windshield, according to the report. Katie also allegedly yelled she was going to kill the victim.

Christopher was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle. Katie was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Both Pelhams were held without bond. (Thanks Ted)

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PENNSYLVANIA -- A Mercedes with more than $850,000 was being towed to an FBI lot in Philadelphia when gunmen tried to stop it.

The gunmen who tried to intercept two tow trucks taking a pair of Mercedes-Benzes under law-enforcement escort to an FBI evidence lot last week apparently wanted more than the vehicles back.

In the trunk of one of the cars was more than $850,000, according to a law-enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The cars and the money apparently figure in a lengthy FBI drug investigation out of New York.

The brazen attack on the tow trucks occurred about 3:15 p.m. on April 9 near the Fire Administration Building, on the border between the Old City and Northern Liberties sections. Two gunmen jumped out of a green minivan and attempted to block the lead tow truck on Third Street south of Spring Garden Street. They demanded that the drivers release the vehicles, one of them saying: "I'm taking those cars. They're mine!"

Gunfire erupted, but the FBI agents in an unmarked car leading the tow trucks were apparently too far ahead to prevent it, investigators said. "It wasn't exactly a good escort," quipped one police investigator.

Two people - one of the tow-truck operators and a woman who had been walking by - were slightly wounded.

The wounded driver, however, was carrying a pistol and returned fire, which may of saved several lives by giving him and the other tow truck driver time to flee. He then fled, driving to 26th Police District headquarters on Girard Avenue, where he sought help for a shot finger.

The other driver took off, towing the second Mercedes - the one with the money - to an FBI lot off Delaware Avenue, where it was safely secured.

Almost immediately after the shoot-out occurred, the FBI took over the investigation from Philadelphia police.

About 10 hours later, the FBI found the minivan - its windows, windshield and side marked by gunfire - in a garage on Randolph Street in North Philadelphia.

Police investigators said they learned the cars had apparently been brought here from New York and had been under surveillance by the FBI for a time until it was decided to bring them to the evidence lot. The gunmen also apparently watched secretly as the tow trucks took the vehicles away.

The cars were taken south on Interstate 95 with the procession exiting at Callowhill Street. The FBI car led the trucks west on Callowhill and then north on Third. The FBI vehicle apparently had just turned east on Spring Garden when the gunfire began. Police said they believe neither the FBI nor the gunmen in the minivan were aware of each other's presence.

In the days after the shoot-out, a wounded man turned up in New York and was questioned by the FBI as a possible occupant of the minivan. His name was not released.

FBI Special Agent Joseph Majarowitz said yesterday he could not provide any details about confiscations made in the case or whether authorities have any suspects.

"The investigation is certainly continuing and the FBI is working with the Philadelphia Police Department," Majarowitz said, adding that investigators are trying to determine whether federal carjacking laws apply.

FBI agents who raided the North Philadelphia garage also seized several vehicles as part of the investigation.

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The Senate voted 54-46 on Thursday to reject oil development in an Arctic wildlife refuge in Alaska, news services reported. The 54 "No" votes were from democrats who voted right down party lines.

The Bush administration had sought to drill for oil in this area to reduce the United States' dependence on foreign oil, and considerably lower fuel prices. Oil shortages result in higher prices for diesel fuel and gasoline, which hurts the profits of towing companies.

The size of the defeat likely signals that oil development of the Alaska refuge is dead in Congress for the year, the Associated Press reported, although White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said President Bush would continue to fight for opening the refuge.

This vote also likely clears the way for the Senate to approve an energy bill as early as next week. Fleischer did not say whether Bush would sign an energy bill that does not include refuge drilling.

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UTAH -- A Utah bill regulating drivers’ response to stationary emergency vehicles is a good step, but offers police and fire personnel more safety then the tow truck driver.

The bill which was signed into law April 15 by Gov. Mike Leavitt, says drivers approaching stationary emergency vehicles with lights flashing are required to slow down and provide as much space to the emergency vehicle as possible. On multi-lane highways, drivers must move into a lane not adjacent to the emergency vehicle.

Drivers approaching stationary tow trucks and highway maintenance vehicles must slow down and provide space, but are not required to change lanes.

Considering that tow truck drivers at an accident scene are just as exposed, sometimes more exposed, to traffic danger then police and fire personnel, it's seems ridicules that state lawmakers did not to extend the same level of safety to all.

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Republicans say that they expect to lose a Senate vote Thursday on oil drilling in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge, but the vote could show enough support to revive the idea later this year, Bloomberg reported.

Drilling in the refuge has been a key proposal in President Bush’s energy plan. Supporters see it as a way to boost domestic oil production and decrease the United States’ dependence on foreign oil. They also say that it will create more than 500,000 jobs while producing at least 1.3 million barrels of oil a day.

The other side believes it will disrupt wildlife and the environment, while not significantly reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil, Bloomberg said.

Alaskan Sen. Ted Stevens said even if the Senate vote fails, he hopes to push through the oil drilling proposal when the House and Senate merge their versions of energy legislation.

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The price of crude oil rose more than 3% on Wednesday after a report by the American Petroleum Institute showed that U.S. supplies posted the biggest decline since October.

Crude oil is refined into fuels used by the towing industry, making its supply very important to the industry.

API said inventories fell 7.3 million barrels, or 2.2% for the week ended last Friday, as demand rose to the highest level since January. That was six times higher than analysts were expecting, Bloomberg said.

Crude oil for May delivery rose as much as 84 cents to $25.59 in New York. It was near a similar level in London.

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TEXAS -- Despite opposition from one wrecker service owner and a conflict of interest with a current councilman the Magnolia City Council passed an ordinance regulating police authorized non-consented tows.

The ordinance would make Councilman Ronnie Chumley's towing company one of only two that qualify to tow for the city. Chumley voted "yes" on the ordinance.

The ordinance also contains a clause that contradicts federal laws deregulation of the towing industry by requiring wrecker services to have a storage facility inside the city limits in order for them to work within the city.

"I have been in this town for 22 years," Huskey said. "I have watched this city grow. The city has never complained about my work. Texas has never complained. I have never received a complaint against my business."

Huskey's service is located one-eighth of a mile out of the city at 4192 FM 1774.

"The city regulates what signs we can put up," Tabitha Huskey, said. "They have taken people to jail before in our driveway, but we can't work in the city."

Magnolia can regulate signs that the Huskey's place on their property because the sign ordinance includes Magnolia's Extra-territorial jurisdiction or (E.T.J.) which is one-half mile of the city limits. Huskey asked the Council to explain the purpose of the ordinance.

"The purpose of this ordinance is to regulate where the vehicles are going to," Police Chief Paul Rex said. "This only applies to police authorized tows - only those where someone may be arrested or unable to make a decision and the city must make the decision for the owner. Only thing it is aimed at is police directed tows."

City attorney John Olson explained to the Council that regulating wrecker services is very limited. He incorrectly believes that the city can regulate wrecker services with all tows that occur within the city limits. Later on in the meeting Olson told the Council that the city could allow those tows it had authority over (those inside the city limits) to be towed as far away as they wanted. This would include the city's ETJ, obviously.

Mayor Frank Parker reiterated that it was only police authorized tows that would be affected by the ordinance. Chief Rex provided the Council with some statistics concerning tows in the city. He said the city had 85 total tows over a six month period from October to April. Police authorized tows accounted for 53 of them.

Huskey says that he does probably three to four police authorized tows a week and that is a major part of his business.

Parker did suggest extending the ordinance to include Magnolia's ETJ, like every other ordinance in the town does. However, Councilman Richard Anderson was strongly against the suggestion.

"I would just have a problem with that," Anderson cried. "When do we stop after that. We start with the ETJ then do we go further out. I don't see the problem with doing it the way it is written because it is only going to be police related wrecker calls. If I am in an accident or my wife is in an accident and can't make a decision, I want the car kept here and not taken to Houston or Conroe or some place else that is insane."

Councilman Delbert Bishop disagreed stating he did not understand why it could not include the ETJ like every other ordinance. Anderson claimed that the city can only control what is in the city limits not what is not. "I am still not clear on what control we have once the wrecker hauls and puts it on the lot," Bishop said. "What control do we have - do we have any?"

Olson responded that the city only has control of where it is taken to. Bishop did not vote in favor of the ordinance. Councilwoman Patsy Ogden Williams suggested that the city put up a barrier behind city hall and tow the cars there. Chief Rex stated that he would prefer the city not take on the responsibility.

Bishop proposed a motion to include the ETJ in the area to which tows could be taken. The motion failed for lack of a second.

The ordinance passed 4 to 1.

"A lot of people in the city have been calling me all day - shocked about what the city has done to me," Huskey said. "Several have offered me a lot in the city, but I will not do it. It is the principle of the matter. Who wants storage lots in the city? Everyone knows why this law was passed."

Huskey feels that the ordinance was created and passed so that Councilman Ronnie Chumley's business could control the market since his business is one of only two inside city limits. Chumley did not abstain from voting in the matter. He was "out of town" at press time to comment.

"We buy all of our groceries, gas, everything in that city," Tabitha Huskey said. "We spend about $1,000 worth of gas a month at the Exxon - not anymore. I live in the city, but now I can't work in the city. My husband owns one of the wrecker trucks, but now the city has taken away our only means of making a living. We could go into the city and buy a storage lot and put a fence around it. But then we would be required to do a detention pond and that gets expensive."

Huskey said that he plans on exploring his legal rights and going from there. "They are putting me out of business," he said. "I think the only one for me was Mr. Bishop. I don't know what will happen now." (Thanks Frank)

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Suspect Arrested in Beating of Tow Truck Driver
April 17, 2002

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VIRGINIA -- Virginia State police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said thanks to a tip from a Sterling, Va. resident, 29-year-old Karl Kellerman of Los Angeles has been arrested and charged with assault and battery in the recent beating of a tow truck driver.

The incident happened Monday afternoon on the beltway near Route 66. The tow truck driver said two men signaled that they needed help, but beat and choked him when he stopped. The tow truck driver said they also called him racist names.

The tow truck driver is an Iranian-American, but he said the men may have beaten him because they thought he was an Arab. Police said they're investigating the case as a possible hate crime. The other suspect in this incident remains at large.

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ILLINOIS -- Illinois is on the verge of passing the toughest law in the nation to deal with people who keep on driving even after losing their licenses.

The law--which has passed the Senate and which key legislators expect to pass the House--would allow police to confiscate and auction off the cars of people who drive without a valid driver's license.

California, which has the toughest law now, impounds those scofflaws' vehicles for 30 days.

The Illinois measure is the latest response to the Chicago Sun-Times' "Why Are They Driving?" series, which has documented dozens of cases of drivers who got hauled to court for driving violations, had their licenses suspended or revoked, then drove away from the courthouse, sometimes only minutes after promising a judge they'd stop driving till they got their license restored.

The Sun-Times reports also prompted more than a dozen stings by the Cook County state's attorney's office and the Cook County sheriff's office. More than 125 scofflaws were arrested; some of them were jailed, and judges, angry they'd been lied to, set high bail amounts.

"Every time an article ran, I'd have a call or letter from a constituent," said state Sen. Kathleen Parker (R-Northbrook), the bill's chief Senate sponsor.

"There was a lot of concern from people who wanted to toughen up the law to make sure that people who aren't supposed to drive don't drive."

Under the measure, police would have the authority to confiscate any vehicle driven by someone previously convicted of driving on a revoked or suspended license if the license had been pulled because of a conviction for any of a number of the most serious traffic offenses: driving under the influence, leaving the scene of a personal-injury accident or reckless homicide involving a vehicle.

The only traffic offenses it wouldn't include would be suspensions for not paying a fine or for vehicle-emissions violations.

The Illinois Senate passed Parker's bill 56-0 last month. In the House, the Transportation Committee is set to take up the bill Tuesday. And Gov. Ryan has never vetoed any law that involved toughening sanctions for DUI.

To win support of lawmakers who might have viewed the bill as too tough, Parker included a hardship provision so that, if a car is seized, a family member of the scofflaw driver can appeal on grounds that the family needs the car and get it back.

But there's a limit of one such waiver per vehicle. If the bad driver is caught driving the vehicle again without a license, it can be taken for good and sold at public auction.

The bill has widespread support from law enforcement authorities, who have been asking legislators to help them to keep bad drivers off the roads.

In a nationwide study for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety in 1999, researchers analyzed 184,000 fatal crashes over five years involving more than 206,000 deaths.

Nearly 37,000 of the crashes involved a driver who wasn't properly licensed.

Those crashes resulted in roughly 42,000 deaths, the study found--the equivalent of dozens of "Boeing 737s falling out of the sky each year," said David K. Willis, the AAA foundation's president.

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Diesel prices, which had climbed more than 15 cents per gallon in the past two months, declined slightly for the week ending April 15, according to government figures.

The Department of Energy said the average price of a gallon of diesel declined three-tenths of a cent to $1.30. Diesel and gasoline prices have run up dramatically since the end of February, driven by political uncertainties in the Middle East and oil production cuts.

Crude oil, which had traded below $20 per barrel as recently as January, ran up to more than $28 in recent weeks. But after tensions in the Middle East failed to interrupt the supply of crude, oil prices plunged back to $23.50 in trading last week.

Diesel prices remained highest in the Central Atlantic and West Coast regions, and California while tow operators in the Lower Atlantic states and along the Gulf Coast paid the least for diesel.

To check diesel prices in your area go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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GEORGIA -- For all those partiers who have trouble finding their cars after the bars close, or have trouble finding a parking place at their favorite bar, state Rep. Doug Teper has come to the rescue.

The Atlanta Democrat rammed legislation through Friday that would restrict the towing or booting of cars and trucks from private parking lots near bars; insuring that when drunks emerge from the bar at two a.m., they will have a car to drive. The legislation only requires Gov. Roy Barnes' signature to become law.

"I'm trying to keep drunks off the road," Teper said. "Some people go out and have a drink or two and they know they can't drive, so they leave their cars in the parking lot and take a cab. We should not punish people for doing the right thing."

Under Teper's plan, any private property, such as a pay-to-park lots, apartment complexes, or businesses within 500 feet of a any business that serves alcohol is free parking for everyone from midnight to noon, every day. 

While Teper has no problem throwing away the rights of private property owners, he fails to give up any rights on public property.

If your apartment is next to a restaurant that serves alcohol, your parking space is free game for anyone after midnight. No more driving around to find parking on Friday night, just park anywhere.

Towing and booting -- placing mechanical devices on the front tire of vehicles to prevent their removal -- have been hot-button issues in Buckhead and Midtown for years.

Two years ago, the Atlanta City Council voted to place a $50 cap on booting fees after protests from bar and restaurant patrons who parked illegally and claimed they had been charged up to $250 to have the "boots" removed.

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WISCONSIN -- A 28-year-old Milwaukee tow operator was arrested by Federal and local authorities who seized 18 kilograms of cocaine, $170,000 in cash and about two dozen weapons when they broke up what they called a major drug trafficking operation.

Nine people were arrested and police were seeking seven others who were allegedly involved in the drug ring, which police said was a large-scale cocaine, Ecstasy and marijuana ring that has operated since 1995.

Criminal complaints said members of the drug ring made frequent trips to Arizona and California to pick up cocaine and bring it back to Milwaukee, hiding the drugs in secret compartments in vehicles.

In Milwaukee, the cocaine was kept in “stash houses” on the city’s east side, where it was diluted with additives and repackaged and sold on the street for about $20,000 a kilogram, about 2.2 pounds. Authorities think the drug traffickers paid between $12,000 and $15,000 a kilogram.

A criminal complaint said a 28-year-old Milwaukee man was the leader of the ring, operating a towing and auto repair business as a front for the drug operation.

The arrests came after a yearlong investigation using confidential informants and telephone wiretaps.

Authorities said drug ring used houses throughout the Milwaukee area, equipped with generators and lights for growing marijuana.

Authorities confiscated five assault rifles, a pistol grip shotgun, a revolver, two machine pistols and five semiautomatic firearms as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition when they searched the alleged leader’s home.

The case is expected to be presented to the grand jury in the next two weeks. (Thanks Matt)

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PENNSYLVANIA -- City leaders have long promised a war on the thousands of illegal drivers in Philadelphia, where a high accident rate has led to some of the highest auto insurance premiums anywhere.

Now, officials say, the battle is about to begin.

On July 1, the city plans to begin enforcing a 6-year-old law allowing police officers to immediately seize any car driven by someone stopped without a license, registration or insurance.

"We estimate that at the beginning, we are going to take 1,000 cars a day," said Traffic Court Administrative Judge Fortunato N. Perri Sr. "I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this ... It kills me that we had this law on the books for six years and that we didn't enforce it."

Not everyone is sure the city is ready for the task. When the vehicle seizure law, dubbed "Live Stop," passed in 1996, some officials estimated that as many as 500,000 people drove illegally in the city each year.

Others say that figure is overblown, but nearly everyone acknowledges that an abundance of illegal cars and drivers in the city has resulted in dangerous streets and sky-high insurance rates.

Philadelphia is also overrun with abandoned vehicles. In two years, 100,000 of them have been towed away - about one for every 15 city residents.

Proponents of the illegal driving crackdown point to the case of Aisha DeJesus, a 14-year-old girl killed in March when the car she was riding in smashed into a utility pole. The driver was a 13-year-old boy.

A day earlier, the boy had been ticketed and released for driving the same car. But police determined that they lacked the legal authority to seize the car so they left it locked on a city street, where the boy retrieved it the next day.

Full implementation of "Live Stop" is coming too late for Aisha, but officials are hoping the law will make accidents involving illegal drivers less common.

Philadelphia police have already implemented a pilot version of "Live Stop" on Roosevelt Boulevard, a notoriously dangerous 13-mile road where 23 people died in crashes last year.

Police have issued more than 7,400 tickets to drivers on the stretch since Jan. 1, making 140 arrests and confiscating more than 920 vehicles from people caught behind the wheel without a license or insurance.

Officers say the program is working there. In the first three months of 2002, the road saw 41 people injured in 427 crashes, down from 101 hurt in 655 wrecks during the same period last year.

"I think it absolutely has gotten better out there. It's not as much of a speed racer thing out there anymore," said Sgt. Roland Lee. "People were going 70 or 80 miles an hour on that road. Now that they know we are out there, they are going 45."

At other city locations, pilot versions of the program have led to the seizure of more than 12,000 cars, mostly in the city's tourist districts and on highways.

In preparation for taking the program citywide, the city has spent more than $7 million to buy 15 new tow trucks, hire extra drivers and outfit two new parking facilities.

City officials still aren't sure how much the campaign will cost. Some observers, including Perri, said it might be cheaper to haul away confiscated cars if the job went to private tow truck companies, rather than the city parking authority.

Either way, he said, the cost of the plan will be money well spent.

"Hopefully, a year from now, the insurance companies will take a look at the statistics, and lower the rates," Perri said. "If we are persistent it will also make the streets safer, which is something we definitely need. I'm afraid to drive anymore. It's dangerous out there." (Thanks Craig)

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RHODE ISLAND -- The 10 firms on Pawtucket's list of approved towing companies say they will no longer remove junk cars from private property by request of police.

The refusal will continue, they say, until they start getting paid by the city for the tows.

Because junk car owners don't generally show up to claim the cars, tow company operators seldom collect the $64.50 they are entitled to charge for nonconsensual tows, said James F. Robbins, owner of Jim's Auto Body.

That leaves the towing company operator footing the bill for expenses, Robbins said, including salaries, insurance, storage costs and gasoline.

Bob Langlois, owner of D&B Auto, said the towing company operators aren't on strike.

"We are towing cars," he said. "We tow abandoned cars off the street -- anything that is a threat to public safety."

Nevertheless, Langlois, Robbins and the other eight Pawtucket-approved towing company operators have had their lawyer, Michael F. Horan, send police and city officials a letter announcing the moratorium on junk car tows.

"All they're saying," Horan said yesterday, "is that until it's resolved they're not going to tow these cars free of charge."

Two key members of the City Council have been trying for more than six months to get a measure passed that would provide the tow company operators with compensation when junk cars towed at city request go unclaimed by their owners.

But Thomas F. Hodge and City Council President John J. Barry III have made little headway, primarily because the money would come out of city coffers and some council members are opposed to reimbursing the towing company operators with taxpayers' money.

To make the measure more politically palatable, Hodge said, he and Barry are exploring the possibility of setting a lower $40-to-$45 rate for junk car tows.

On Tuesday, they met with two representatives of the state Division of Public Utilities and Carriers -- Thomas F. Ahern, administrator, and John Spirito, legal counsel -- and learned that the tow company operators could strike a deal enabling Pawtucket to pay them less than the established $64.50 rate.

As a result of the meeting, Hodge said that he and Barry now plan to draw up a contract between the city and the tow company operators, pencil in a figure acceptable to both sides and seek passage by the full City Council.

The tow company operators can then seek to have the contract approved by the state Public Utilities Commission, which sets the amount that can be charged for nonconsensual tows.

PUC spokesman Terry Mercer said a lower $40-to-$45 rate can be set for junk car tows in which the city pays the tow company operator, while the higher, $64.50 rate remains in effect for tows in which the owner of the car shows up and pays to get his car.

But Robbins, who, besides operating a Pawtucket-based towing company, heads the Rhode Island Towing Association, said he doubts tow company operators will go for the $40-to-$45 rate.

The rate is so low, Robbins said, it will undermine tow company operators in their next round of negotiations with the Division of Public Utilities and Carriers, which represents consumers in rate cases: "They're going to say if you can do this for the city of Pawtucket, why can't you do this for John Q. Public?"

The tow companies might settle for a $52 junk car rate, Robbins said -- but only if they can tow the cars to city property.

At present, he said, the tow companies have to take the cars to garages, keep them in storage for 10 days, and then, if they go unclaimed by their owners, tow them to a salvage yard.

In the past, salvage yard operators have paid $18 to $20 for junk cars, according to Robbins. Recently, they have told tow company operators they are going to start charging to take the cars, he said. (Thanks Ken)

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MAINE -- The Maine state Senate passed a proposal linking gasoline and diesel tax increases to inflation late Tuesday and sent it to Gov. Angus King, the Associated Press reported.

The state's Transportation Department said the tax would cost the average motorist an estimated $15 per year, but fleet based businesses such as towing companies can expect to pay much more. Without this money, officials said transportation project planners cannot include highway reconstruction in the next two-year plan.

If the plan is enacted, scheduled increases in the fuel tax would be subject to periodic votes by the Legislature, but there would be no tax increase this year. The Maine House has already passed the proposal.

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OREGON -- Last night the city of Troutdale voted 6-0 in favor of a law allowing police to tow the cars of street racing spectators. Street racing has claimed six lives in the Portland area since December.

In March, the Portland city council passed an 'emergency ordinance' giving police the authority to impound cars of both drivers and spectators of these illegal races. Gresham and Multnomah County passed similar measures last year.

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GEORGIA -- The Byron City Council voted to transfer its much-debated wrecker service contract to a new owner Monday, And want all parties agree to a change in the contract's language that would prevent future transfers.

Now Alan and Carolynn Dorsey, owners of Alan's Towing Service, can sell their business as planned, and the contract to tow for the city can come with it. Councilman Michael Chidester, who made the motion to transfer, said the council didn't have much choice in the matter.

The contract was supposed to block the transfer from one owner to another without written permission from the council, but an error in the document's language makes that clause invalid, said Chidester, who is an attorney. Instead of saying the contractor can't transfer or assign the contract, the document states: "The contractor shall not assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of a contract that results from this contract."

"This is the contract," Chidester said. "It's not a contract that arose from the contract. ... We can't say no."

City Attorney Joan Harris, who wouldn't say who wrote the contract but did say she reviewed it, agreed.

"There's nothing to prohibit a transfer," she said.

After Monday's vote, the contract will be amended to reflect the original intent of the no-transfer clause, Chidester said.

The vote was 4-1, with Councilman Michael Chumbley casting the lone vote against. Chumbley said he thinks the contract should have been rebid. "Be fair to all," he said.

Grant Radney, of Grant's Towing, also said Monday he'd like to see the contract rebid. He feels he should have won the contract when it was initially awarded last August. He hired an attorney and threatened a lawsuit over the matter last year, but has not filed one.

Chidester said he felt the council would probably be sued - by Radney, the Dorseys or both - no matter what it decided. He and Mayor Bob Wright both said they want to move the city's wrecker service back to a rotation - under which several area wrecker services can tow for the city - once this contract runs out Dec. 31.

The city opted to contract with only one business last year after wrecker service owners began accusing each other of violating various city codes. Three companies bid on the project, with Alan's winning the contract. (Thanks Carol)

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PENNSYLVANIA -- In a brazen attack yesterday afternoon in a busy intersection north of Old City, at least one gunman ambushed two tow-trucks that were taking a pair of Mercedes-Benz autos under FBI escort to the bureau's headquarters in Center City. 

As the shots rang out near Third and Spring Garden Streets on the border of Northern Liberties, passersby scurried for cover. Two people - one of the tow-truck drivers and a woman who was walking by - were hit by bullets and hospitalized, police said. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening, police said.

No shots were believed to have been fired by FBI personnel, authorities said.

FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said the autos had been seized "as part of a drug investigation, and we were in the process of taking them back to our facilities to search them" when the attack occurred about 3:15 p.m.

The tow-truck operators were under contract to the FBI.

Vizi said agents were in a car ahead of the tow trucks when a green minivan occupied by at least two men cut off the trucks. One of the men jumped out of the minivan, Vizi said, and told the tow-truck drivers: "I'm taking those cars. They're mine."

Police said they believe a gun battle erupted in which one of the tow-truck operators may have returned fire with a handgun.

Officials in the nearby Fire Administration Building reported hearing the gunshots that left spent shell casings in the street. The names of the wounded were not immediately released. Police and the FBI last night were searching for the minivan. (Thanks Ted)

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VIRGINIA -- When two men in a pickup started waving at the tow truck driver on the Capital Beltway in Fairfax, the tow truck driver willingly pulled over, thinking the men needed some sort of assistance. It happens all the time, the tow truck driver said, and he's happy to help.

But after they pulled to the side of busy Interstate 495, one of the men in the pickup truck walked over to the tow truck driver and said, "I have a license to kill you." The tow truck driver, who is Iranian, said he was confused. The assailant then head-butted the tow truck driver in the forehead, and he and his friend repeatedly punched the man and then choked him into unconsciousness as traffic whizzed by.

The two assailants fled in their brown pickup truck, and Virginia State Police yesterday were searching for witnesses to the attack Monday afternoon that the victim said was unprovoked and tinged with ethnic hatred.

While the suspects are at large, police asked that the 32-year-old tow truck driver's name be withheld. He was initially taken to Inova Fairfax Hospital for examination. He said he plans to go back to the doctor today because he thinks his nose may be broken.

"I was shocked," the tow truck driver said yesterday. "I didn't expect anything like that. I was, like, doing my job, to give them service, be polite to the customer."

The incident began about 4:30 p.m. on the outer loop just past Interstate 66. The tow truck driver, who was headed from Tysons Corner toward Alexandria on a call from AAA, said: "I saw this guy driving alongside. They were waving at me. I thought he was running out of gas."

They pulled onto the shoulder. The two men approached him, and the driver recalled, "the first thing that came out of his mouth was, 'I have a license to kill you.' I thought he was pulling my leg. I asked him, 'What kind of license?' Then his forehead hit my nose."

The tow truck driver said the men punched him, tossed his cell phone into the woods, then one of them grabbed him by the throat and choked him until he passed out. "I was unconscious for like five minutes," he said.

The tow truck driver said the men made no other statements to him, but he felt they waved him over "because I look like an Arab." He thought the men were drug users because they had bruises along their arms.

"People should realize that we are all human beings," said Saeed Hashemi, owner of the tow truck service. "You can't just jump people because of the color of their skin. This should not not not happen."

State police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said police are looking for a 1987 or 1988 brown Ford pickup with a shell or cover over the bed. Descriptions of the two suspects were vague. Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call them at 703-323-4503. (Tom Jackman - Washington Post)

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PENNSYLVANIA -- Two young vehicle thieves no doubt were surprised when they saw a pair of hulking tow trucks barreling after them. It was not a routine chase.

“I figured if we let them get out on the highway, they were gone,” said James Reppert, owner of Reppert's Towing, 915 Lancaster Ave. “That's why I cut them off at 13th Street.

“I figured they wouldn't be very good drivers because they were just kids and they weren't good. Then they got out and ran, and they weren't too good at that either.”

Reppert and his friend Steven R. Newman, who works for Vince's Towing, Fifth and Bern streets, became unlikely crime fighters March 9 when they chased and captured the two teens.

At about 9 a.m., the teens stole a van belonging to a friend of the tow-truck drivers from a parking lot on Crossing Drive in Wyomissing, police said. The van contained tools and other equipment valued at about $25,000.

The boys whose names were withheld by police, but who are 16 and 14 and live in Reading were charged as juveniles with theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.

Both pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

“I think these men did a fine thing,” said David L. Yoch, the Wyomissing police criminal investigator who handled the case. “Certainly what they did resulted in a domino effect of us making the arrests and finding about $25,000 worth of stolen property, and there may be more arrests. The investigation is continuing.”

The van, owned by Frederick Brightbill of Spring Township, was recovered by the tow-truck drivers about three hours after it was stolen.

Brightbill owns Bright Tech Inc., an industrial-machine repair shop in the same building as Vince's Towing, which is owned by Vincent D. Gagliardo Sr.

After Brightbill discovered the van had been stolen, he called Gagliardo to get his vehicle registration in Brightbill's office so he could give the information to Wyomissing police.

Gagliardo told Brightbill he would have his drivers look for the stolen van. Reppert then told Newman, who also started searching.

“When I heard about the van being stolen, at first I got that sickening feeling because I know that if you steal my truck, you steal my livelihood,” Reppert said. “His (Brightbill's) truck has everything he needs to work in it and he's a friend, a good friend. So this was a chance for us to help someone, and it worked out.”

He and Newman said business was slow, so they decided to drive around the city and check areas where they know thieves dump stolen vehicles. They stayed in touch using their citizens band radios.

“We were just going to lunch when we spotted them driving through City Park coming from the area of St. Joe's (St. Joseph Medical Center),” Newman said.

The drivers chased the teens for several blocks. The van stopped at 13th and Cotton streets, and the teens got out and ran down an alley.

“I went around the block and cut them off again at the other end of the alley,” Reppert said. “All I knew is once we had them on 13th Street, they weren't getting away.”

Newman used his truck to block the other end of the alley, and he and Reppert grabbed the teens.

City police arrived minutes later and took the boys into custody.

Police later found most of Brightbill's tools and equipment in a shed behind a house near St. Joseph Medical Center.

“My truck is insured but my contents aren't, so I sure was happy to get that second call (from police) when they found the tools,” Brightbill said. “It was more than I could ask for. This was my livelihood and my life's work.

“All in all,” he said, “I guess I was damn lucky.”

The boys will have to pay about $1,900 for damage to the van and for missing or broken tools.

Yoch, the Wyomissing detective, advised people not to chase criminal suspects. Newman and Reppert immediately contacted police that they were looking for the teens, Yoch said.

He also praised Reading Criminal Investigator Angel C. Cabrera and city Patrolman Mark G. Hafner for helping in the arrests and investigation.

Reppert and Newman said some city police have congratulated them for their efforts.

But the two men said they were just happy to help a friend. (Jason A. Kahl - Eagle/Times)

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Crude oil jumped more than 5% on Monday after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered a 30-day halt of oil exports to protest Israel's occupation of Palestinian areas, Bloomberg reported.

Crude is refined to produce gasoline and diesel fuel, making its price important to the trucking industry.

Iraq is the third-biggest oil producer in the Middle East. Other countries in the region have said they will boost production, but the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries output said it will not alter its exports.

Brent crude oil for May settlement rose $1.44 cents, or 5.5%, to $27.43 a barrel on the International Petroleum Exchange in London. In New York, crude oil rose 99 cents, or 3.8%, to $27.20 a barrel.

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The price of diesel fuel continues to rise, and is now at $1.32 per gallon, the Department of Energy reported April 8.

The price increased by nearly 3 cents in the past week, and is at its highest level in six months.

Diesel prices, which have increased 17 cents per gallon over the past six weeks, could dilute the economic recovery and significantly add to already high operating costs. Still, the increase in diesel remains less dramatic than the spike in gas prices; the DOE attributes this to higher diesel inventories and a different seasonal demand pattern.

The recovery is putting pressure on crude oil inventories as refinery production increases, the DOE said. Although crude oil imports reported a recent gain, the weekly average of late continues to be more than 1 million barrels below last year’s level.

To check diesel prices in your area go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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MASSACHUSETTS -- Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, citing a budget crisis requiring "drastic measures," is planning to shut down the city's towing division and turn it over to private tow companies.

Menino, who will unveil the city's $1.8 billion budget Wednesday, said money is so tight he's moving to privatize the towing operation.

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FLORIDA -- With over 7,500 tows in Tallahassee last year, DeLoach Towing is one of the busiest towing companies in town that performs private impounds of illegally parked cars.

Nobody is happy to get their car impounded even if they blatantly ignored signs and deserved to be towed, and when given the chance, almost all will lodge a complaint against the towing company. It's not much different then getting a citation from police, If given the opportunity, most people who receive a citation will complain that it was unjust and the officer was wrong.

Leon County Sheriff Larry Campbell apparently doesn't understand this. If he has his way, the company may soon be forced out of the unincorporated areas of the county.

He's accused DeLoach of shady business practices based on a few complaints from owners of illegally parked cars, and is moving to revoke the company's county towing rights for six months, maybe more.

"If they want to try to get their act cleaned up and work legitimately, we'll work with them," Campbell told the Tallahassee Democrat last week. "If they don't, I'm going to put them out of business." The arrogant Sheriff remarked. 

The towing company says Campbell's complaints are unfounded. Owner Chester Murray that most allegations are payback by disgruntled drivers who parked illegally and were properly towed.

Murray told the Tallahassee Democrat, "Of course, we get a lot of complaints. We tow 40 percent of the cars in this town."

Murray has appealed the sheriff's case and likely will have a hearing later in the month in front of a board made up of one representative each from the Sheriff's Office, the county attorney and the county administrator.

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WISCONSIN -- Milwaukee City officials say they are moving to increase security at the city's tow lot, where auditors found at least one car had been snatched and others vandalized.

In an audit, the city comptroller's office said gates at the south side lot were occasionally left unlocked, which "may have led to the unauthorized removal of a towed vehicle." In another case, a vandal was able to break windows of towed cars by climbing onto a Milwaukee Water Works truck parked next to the tow lot fence, then jumping the fence, the audit said.

Following auditors' recommendations, the city Department of Public Works has ordered managers to check gates at the lot, where illegally parked and abandoned vehicles are towed, Public Works Commissioner Mariano Schifalacqua wrote in a response to the audit. Officials are also talking to Water Works officials about moving their trucks, he said.

Auditors also called for tighter security in handling cash, although they found no evidence any money was missing. Schifalacqua said those recommendations would be followed as well.

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WASHINGTON -- In the seven weeks since Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels fulfilled a campaign promise to provide tow trucks at bridges during rush-hour traffic, the program has helped 38 stalled vehicles.

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FLORIDA -- Martin county plans to pass on ordinance to cap non-consensual towing fees.

The new ordinance was spurred by a complaint that a towing company allegedly charged $300 to impound an illegally parked truck from a well posted private lot on Dixie Highway.

Martin County Commission Chairwoman Elmira Gainey told Stewart News Tuesday. "Three hundred dollars is an astronomical amount, and it drives people away from an area where we're trying to create economic development."

Gainey failed to mention whether they would also direct police to stop writing $300 tickets in that area, which also tend to drive people away.

Gainey is proposing an ordinance similar to Stuart's, which caps towing fees at $85 for a hookup and $2.50 a mile.

County Attorney Stephen Fry told Stewart News the proposed ordinance would take about 10 days to prepare and bring back to the county commission. "It's not a big deal to model it after the ordinance in Stuart," he said.

The Stuart ordinance, passed in June 2000, limits the amount companies can charge to tow a car from a private lot: $85 for a hookup fee and $2.50 a mile to tow. Towing companies can also impose $20 or $25 a day for storage charges, depending on whether the vehicle is stored inside or outside.

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ALABAMA -- A Lexington tow truck toiled for about two hours to rescue a horse from an old septic tank the animal had fallen into earlier in the day. The efforts worked, with the horse suffering only cuts and a large scrape on its back, Police Chief Augie Hendershot said.

The horse, owned by Alan Holden of Lauderdale 450, wandered to the yard of a house that has an old septic tank. Emergency workers were notified of the accident about 10:30 a.m.

"When the horse walked on top of the septic tank, it collapsed, and the horse fell inside," Hendershot said. "A tow truck driver driving by noticed just the horse's head coming out of the small hole in the ground. He called 911, and they dispatched our fire department and me."

Trousdale Wrecker Service, Joe Holly of Lexington Water Works and Sewer, veterinarian J.B. Harris and Anderson Police Chief B.J. Tully also arrived to assist.

Holly and the wrecker service put straps on the horse and broke up the old septic tank. Workers then dug a ramp to the bottom, spun the horse toward it and pulled it out, Hendershot said.

"The horse was very nervous," he said. "It was thrashing about, and we were scared he was going to hurt himself."

Harris began checking the horse while it was trapped, with only its neck and head sticking out. He also checked the horse afterward and said there appears to be no major injuries, the chief said.

Firefighters got one of their hoses and washed the horse, which is brown and has a dark-brown mane, the chief said.

"It is a beautiful horse, and the owner was very, very thankful," he said. "We had a lot of good people out there helping." (Thanks Clint)

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Engine maker Cummins Inc. has announced that EPA has officially certified the company's ISX diesel engine to the 2.5-gram NOx + NMHC standard that goes into effect in October. EPA also affirmed the use of Auxiliary Emissions Control Devices (AECD) to protect the engine under certain operating conditions.

Columbus, IN-based Cummins said performance of its new 2002-compliant ISX engines will be improved in terms of engine braking capability and overall engine responsiveness. The company added that it plans to refine its 2002 ISX engine design to look for further improvements in fuel economy and reliability.

Cummins said it began field tests of the ISX engine in December 1999 and will have accumulated over 6 million miles of on-highway vehicle field-testing and 115,000 hours of laboratory tests by October.

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The price of crude oil soared to a six-month high after violence between Israelis and Palestinians intensified in the past week, raising fears that supplies could be threatened, Bloomberg reported Monday.

The prices of gasoline and diesel fuel, which are used by tow trucks, follow movement in the price of oil.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price of crude oil for May delivery rose 3.6%, or 94 cents, to $27.25 in after-hours, electronic trading - the highest price in six-and-a-half-months.

Iraq is urging Arab nations to consider possibly an embargo, using oil as a weapon against countries that support Israel, Reuters said Monday.

When Arab nations imposed an oil embargo on western nations in the 70s, the price of oil and oil products, like the diesel fuel used by big trucks, quadrupled, crippling the U.S. economy.

At this point, Saudi Arabia and the major producers of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries don't plan to repeat the embargo, Reuters said, and it cannot be done without them.

The Iraqi statement was issued in response to recent Israeli military moves against Palestinians.

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The increase in the price of diesel slowed its acceleration this week, but prices still rose by more than a cent, according to government figures released April 1. The average price of a gallon of diesel rose to $1.295, the highest price since October.

Diesel prices have risen nearly 15 cents in the past six weeks, due largely to oil production cuts enacted in December by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The cuts have only recently boosted the price of fuel, however, as higher consumer demand for gasoline has increased the strain on domestic oil inventories.

Crude oil imports, for example, are down more than 1 million barrels a day.

Violence in the Middle East has also spurred prices higher, the Department of Energy said. Diesel prices remained highest in California and along the West Coast.

To check diesel prices in your area go to www.itow.org/fuel.htm.

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NEW YORK -- People who abandon their clunkers on city streets face stiffer fines as the Police Department puts a new spin on an old ordinance.

Law enforcers are calling it an "innovative" use of the city's 6-year-old illegal dumping ordinance. They claim the offensive will help curb neighborhood blight by dealing with the growing problem of junked automobiles left along the curbs or abandoned on other property owned by the city.

Instead of just charging offenders for an $82 tow to the city impound, the Police Department has hauled more than a dozen violators to the city's Administrative Adjudication Bureau. At least eight of them have been slapped with $1,500 fines.

Lt. Dennis J. Richards of the Flex Unit said some might question the magnitude of the fine.

"But why should there be a difference in the penalty for dumping four tires when compared to dumping four tires and 3,000 pounds of metal?" Richards asked.

Mayor Anthony M. Masiello said he couldn't agree more.

"Frankly, I'm not sure even a $1,500 fine is enough," Masiello said. "We need to come down hard on people who are destroying the quality of life in our neighborhoods. People are sick and tired of it."

Leonard G. Sciolino, the city's director of parking enforcement, said more abandoned cars are dotting city streets than ever before.

"Just come down to the impound on any Wednesday when we hold our auctions and you'll see what I mean," he said. "Some people are just leaving their old cars wherever they break down."

Rosa Gibson, an East Side community activist, said she knows of two abandoned cars on Wohlers Avenue. She said one of them has been gracing a vacant lot for about a year.

"They're eyesores," she said. "And they look even worse after all the snow has melted." They're not only unsightly. They also make it difficult - sometimes impossible - for crews to perform plowing chores in the winter. On occasion, the mayor's complaint line has even received reports of rusted out cars being abandoned on other people's properties. One East Side resident called earlier this year, complaining that an old car had been left in his driveway. It stayed there for more than a week until the city removed it.

But some individuals make it tougher to track them down after they use the closest neighborhood as a junkyard for their rust-buckets.

"People think that they can just take the plates off their car and leave it in the street," said Lt. Larry Baehre, the department's public information officer. "However, that does not absolve them of responsibility for proper disposal of their car. They are subject to the no-dumping provision of the city ordinance."

When license plates are removed, investigators can use vehicle identification numbers to obtain ownership information. But Sciolino said the numbers don't always reflect the most current owner.

The Police Department's Flex Unit was created to deal with quality of life problems such as loud music, graffiti and gang activity. Richards said he thinks the crackdown on illegally abandoned vehicles is a logical expansion of the unit's duties.

"While the city pledges to take back the streets, what better way to illustrate it than by removing this problem?" he said. (Brian Meyer - The Buffalo News)

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TEXAS -- Even though the La Marque city council set wrecker fees in the city last week, wrecker companies are still concerned that the city’s new ordinance might hurt their business.

“I’m happy with the price, but there is still a lot of confusion,” said Robert McDonald, owner of A&E Wrecker Service.

Three weeks ago, the city had to adopt a new ordinance that deleted a portion that made it a requirement for wrecker companies to have a storage yard in the city.

City Attorney Ellis Ortego said that the requirement was illegal due to federal deregulation of towing.

McDonald and other wrecker company owners complained that the deletion could open up the city’s rotation list and allow outside companies to take away local business.

“Anybody can be on the rotation now and pick up a car and take it back to Houston,” he said.

The city council set the new wrecker fees at $115 for non-consent tows. Non-consent tows are those that the city has ordered. McDonald said he had been ordered by the city to lower his prices to $60 for tows in the city or face elimination from the city’s rotation list. He said the raising of the prices now makes La Marque wreckers more competitive with other cities.

However, not having companies keep a storage yard in the city could defeat the raising of the tow prices.

“I think it’s a step in the right direction,” said McDonald. “But I think they put the cart before the horse.”

Council member Larry Crow said that the city’s attorney was researching how effective it would be for the city to bid out its wrecker services with a stipulation that the company keep a storage yard in the city.

“It’s something that we’re looking at,” he said. “Right now, we can’t arbitrarily make them have a lot in the city.”

McDonald said there was also concern about how the city would determine the length of contracts with companies on the rotation list. Wrecker companies must meet city requirements before it is put on the wrecker rotation list. If the city offers two-year contracts, McDonald said he was concerned that other companies could be hurt if they met the city’s requirements within the two-year time period but were still unable to get on the rotation list.

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