Rash Tow Truck Operator Could Get Fired For Bizarre Towing Technique That Rolled Over a Car on a Flooded Street in Texas

Image Credit: Screenshot of video by Joey Starr via Storyful.

Floods have ravaged parts of Texas, causing loss of life and extensive property damage. Several cars were seen submerged in waterlogged streets, highlighting the severity of the problem.

Even if your car is a total loss, it will still boil your blood when a rash tow truck driver damages it to the point where the front passenger door gets ripped off.

That is what happened in Marshall, Texas. The flooding left many vehicles stranded after being driven into waist-deep water. Some were already parked, and the owners simply did not get enough time to move their cars before the water level rose.

Footage of the scene showed the careless tow truck driver destroying a sedan to the point where it rolled over. The additional damage could complicate the situation for the vehicle’s owner in claiming insurance money.

The towing operation started so badly that even the basics were ignored. The person recording the footage from another car said that the operator was surely going to get fired for his act.

The Door is Not Where You Pull a Car

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Screenshot of video by Joey Starr via Storyful

Footage shared by ABC13 Houston on Instagram shows how a tow truck driver attached the tow hook to the car’s door near the B pillar in an attempt to drag the vehicle closer.

Common sense dictates that a door would be too light and fragile to be used as a means to pull a sedan. However, the tow truck driver was having none of that. Maybe he just had too many cars to tow that day, and he was trying to do his job quickly.

But that is not a good enough excuse to damage someone’s car to the point where the door literally bends completely. Although the car’s recovery hook would be tough to find underwater, it would not be too difficult for an experienced tow truck driver to locate it.

The closed door was pulled so hard that the glass shattered. Realizing what had happened, the tow truck driver stopped pulling the chains for a few seconds. 

Surprisingly, despite the damage, he began to pull the car again to the point where the frame of the passenger-side door collapsed. But he did not stop there. 

The scene shifted to the tow truck driver giving up the idea of rescuing the car at that spot. He instead got into his truck while the towing chains were attached to the car’s broken door and attempted to drive away. 

The car was dragged for about five feet before it rolled over to its right side, damaging it further. People who recorded the video could be heard laughing hysterically in the background.

One of them shouted with surprise, “He rolled it!”

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston)

 

People Now Know Who Not to Call During a Flood

Users in the comments section have written that they now know which tow service not to call during a flood. One user asked if it was “His first day with a tow truck or something?” while another person commented, “I know if I ever need a tow in Marshall, TX who not to call 😮.”

A user questioned why the tow truck driver used the car’s glass window as a hook: “what in your right mind told you to put it on a glass window.” Another user claimed, “Oh he lied on his job application 😂😭😂” [sic]

One of the users, funnily, wrote, “He was just dumping the water out to make it easier to hook up,” but another suggested he “Should’ve just left it there…” if it was going to get damaged anyway.

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Screenshot of video by Joey Starr via Storyful

 

Author: Saajan Jogia

Saajan Jogia is an automotive and motorsport writer with over a decade of experience, having written for Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, MotorBiscuit, GTN, The Sporting News, and Men’s Journal. When he’s not covering horsepower and headlines, he’s road tripping to quiet places, learning the art of offbeat living, and capturing spaces through professional architecture and interior photography.

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