Feature

by Stephen Harris

[One tow-truck] driver had to work around a corpse to set the emergency brake before righting a flipped SUV.

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index
Previous Features | Send mail to The Voice

Think Towing Cars is Easy?
Think Again

Jason Junkin has been towing for three years, and he said, at times,
it's hard to separate the carnage from the wreckage.
--Stephen Harris, photo

Jason Junkin drove a white Ford 450 tow truck to the impound station where police store confiscated vehicles. A former railroad worker from Illinois, Mr. Junkin has been in the towing business for three years. He works with A & B Towing, a Portland-based company with a fleet of more than 20 trucks.

Sitting near a squat white trailer, we waited for Mr. Junkin to receive a service call.

Inside the dark office, Betsy Pacheco, the lot supervisor, sat behind a desk; a 4-foot-high counter dominated the rest of the room. Ms. Pacheco and Mr. Junkin started telling stories -- gory stories.

They described three drunk men who rear-ended a fuel tanker, leaving charred bodies that first responders carried out of the vehicle while the tow-truck driver watched and waited.

Mr. Junkin said that one driver had to tow a vehicle whose owner had "blown his brains" across the exterior of his vehicle. Mr. Junkin said another driver had to work around a corpse to set the emergency brake before righting a flipped SUV. At times, he said, it's hard to separate the carnage from the wreckage.

The accident victims aren't the only ones in danger at the scene of an accident. Often the tow-truck drivers are, too, Mr. Junkin said.

Getting hit by oncoming traffic while removing wreckage is a common fear among those in the towing industry. In addition, the tow truck's complex, powerful machinery is potentially dangerous.

Mr. Junkin said that one man suffered facial paralysis after being hit by part of the lift mechanism on his tow truck.

And then there are the people who have their cars towed against their will. Ms. Pacheco said that one such disgruntled man shot at a tow-trucker -- twice -- narrowly missing him.

The shooter then moved in close enough to fire a point-blank shot, but fortunately the gun jammed.

Mr. Junkin said that some companies impose anger fees, which are extra charges for customer rudeness.

The truckers are also wary of overly friendly women. Mr. Junkin said that within two days he changed the same tire for a woman who kept sending him overt signals.

Ms. Pacheco said that people have a stereotype of tow-truck drivers as being greasy-haired, dirty men with cigars in their mouths.

A & B requires its drivers to be neat and clean. Also, in addition to rules against drinking anytime during the five-day shift, A & B's employees are also prohibited from using any prescription painkillers while working.

The drivers must be prepared to arrive at call-sites anywhere in Portland within 20 minutes. Mr. Junkin said, "You sleep with your clothes on." Despite danger and odd hours, Mr. Junkin said he loves his job.

While engrossed in tow-truck war stories, a AAA call broke the nostalgia. Towing a AAA member only pays $5, Mr. Junkin said, but he responded to the call anyway. "I like to help people," he said.

While Mr. Junkin was en-route, AAA called him and said the driver had cancelled the request. Briefly upset, Mr. Junkin decided to go to A & B's main office on Southeast 21st and Lafayette.

The company's dispatcher, Serenna Starner, wore pink and black dreadlocks. Mr. Junkin said her hair was short and blond the week before.

Her left forearm bore a colored tattoo of Invader Zim, a cartoon character with a cult following.

After standing near the front desk for a few minutes, Mr. Junkin received a call requesting the release of a confiscated car to its owner from a Clackamas impound lot.

Reaching the impound lot, Mr. Junkin met a girl who looked too young to drive, and her mother waited nearby.

The girl saw her car resting alone in the corner of the almost empty lot and said, "My baby."

Then the problems began. Mr. Junkin asked the girl for $352 in impound fees, but she claimed she was quoted $138.

Soon the girl's mother joined the protest. "I work in customer service," she said to Mr. Junkin. "You don't treat people this way."

The girl started crying, proclaiming injustice.

After paying the fee, she promised she would contest it in court. Mr. Junkin said that the women were just trying to get a cheaper price.

On the ride back, Mr. Junkin asked, "So, do you want to be a tow-truck driver yet?"

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index
Previous Features | Send mail to The Voice