Ohio County Towing Policies Are Discussed
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WHEELING -- Ohio County's tow truck drivers join first responders at the scene when a local highway is blocked due to an accident.
There are five towing companies in the county, and the question is which one does Ohio County 911 call out when the situation dictates.
Ohio County commissioners Tuesday night held their first-ever public hearing to discuss towing policies in the county.
Such hearings actually are required under West Virginia State Code, according to County Solicitor Don Tennant.
Towing companies represented at the hearing were Ace Garage, Braden's Towing, Assaro's Garage and Towing Service, Middle Creek Garage and A-1 Interstate Towing.
Also participating in the discussion were Sheriff Tom Howard, Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger, and County 911 Director Theresa Russell.
All five towing companies said they were satisfied with the County 911's current policy of dispatching towing companies to accidents based on location.
But beyond location, there are concerns about which companies offer heavy towing services, and which offer indoor storage when needed. Sometimes this can affect decisions.
In addition, sometimes accidents happen in gray areas where jurisdiction isn't clear.
Schwertfeger said his department uses the towing services located in the city limits, which are Ace Garage and Braden's. He said typically Ace Garage is called because of its indoor storage areas.
Brent Nelson of Middle Creek Garage told the county commissioners they should take notice of the city's policy of using companies located in Wheeling that pay taxes to the city.
He called out Braden's Towing for housing its trucks at its Bridgeport location and not paying West Virginia taxes. Tim Braden, owner of Braden's Towing, denied he had his trucks in Bridgeport to avoid taxation.
Towing trucks must bear a sticker saying it has been certified by a state's public service commission.
Ohio laws do not allow trucks with West Virginia license plates to get Ohio PSC certifications, while West Virginia does allow Ohio registered vehicles to operate in the Mountain State, according to Braden.
He said for a time he did have dual registration, and attempted to switch plates from state to state but this is no longer permitted in West Virginia.
Braden said he does have a shop and property in Wheeling and Ohio County on which he pays taxes.
Howard and Schwertfeger both said they would object to a towing company taking a vehicle involved in a West Virginia accident to Ohio for storage, and would not permit that.
Russell said Ohio County 911 each year hosts a training session on how best to deal with law enforcement, and she suggested towing companies attempt to attend these at least every other year.