Trucker goes to Prison...

Another trucking company about 2 years ago was hit with a $280K tow bill.
A judge reduced it because the tow company seriously padded the bill and it was proven he did. Tow company even charged for inflatable air bags to lift the truck, which was proven they did not use.
It was still over $100K.
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If the towing bill line item give a generic description such as “labor” or “work time”, that’s not good enough. Verify whether cleanup was performed. Another common practice of towing companies is to automatically include charges for hazardous material/spill clean-up, even if that type of work wasn’t actually performed.

 

I wonder if the prison time would happen if he didn't break in to the towing yard and try and steal his truck back?

 

Trucker Faces Decade in Prison After Refusing to Pay $20,000 Towing Charge

APRIL 28, 2020
BusinessTrucking News
By Transportation Nation Network

Monroe County, WI – A trucker is facing a decade in prison after refusing to pay a semi-truck towing charge of more than $20,000 and allegedly causing $10,550 in damages.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Circuit Court of Monroe County on April 27, 35-year-old owner operator Yevgeniy Bloshenko, of Aurora, CO, is charged with multiple felony counts including retail theft — failure to pay for service of more than $10,000 and criminal damage to property of more than $2,500.

The charges stem from events that began on November 17, 2019.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) says Bloshenko claims he was operating eastbound along Interstate 94 at approximately 7:30 a.m. when he was cut off by a motorist.

Bloshenko indicated he lost control of the rig and drove off of the roadway before crashing into a “swampy area” near mile marker 145.

The accident required a towing service to pull the truck out.

C.L. Chase Towing was called to the scene.

Upon arriving, the towing operators, Carl and Elsje Chase, informed Bloshenko they would have to return the next day because the removal required three heavy wreckers, a service truck and two extra personnel.

So, Bloshenko was transported to a hotel in nearby Tomah to await the removal.

Court documents indicate the Chase’s returned to the scene the following day and towed the semi-truck to their property located at 141 W. Cougar Dr. in the Village of Oakdale.

Bloshenko was then presented with a bill for $20,400, to which he objected to the cost.

Bloshenko is leased to Asheville, NC-based Hickorytranz, LLC.

After discussing the matter with his boss, Bloshenko claims the Chase’s would only accept a Comcheck.

However, he informed the Chase’s that his trucking company could not get Comcheck’s totaling the amount of the bill.

He contends his boss offered to wire the money, but the Chase’s refused citing concerns that a transfer could be reversed.

Frustrated by the entire ordeal, Bloshenko returned to retrieve his semi-truck during the overnight hours of November 18, according to investigators.

The MCSD alleges Bloshenko used a tow truck to remove his truck from the Chase’s yard.

Court documents indicate the Chase’s returned to the scene the following day and towed the semi-truck to their property located at 141 W. Cougar Dr. in the Village of Oakdale.

Bloshenko was then presented with a bill for $20,400, to which he objected to the cost.

Bloshenko is leased to Asheville, NC-based Hickorytranz, LLC.

After discussing the matter with his boss, Bloshenko claims the Chase’s would only accept a Comcheck.

However, he informed the Chase’s that his trucking company could not get Comcheck’s totaling the amount of the bill.

He contends his boss offered to wire the money, but the Chase’s refused citing concerns that a transfer could be reversed.

Frustrated by the entire ordeal, Bloshenko returned to retrieve his semi-truck during the overnight hours of November 18, according to investigators.

The MCSD alleges Bloshenko used a tow truck to remove his truck from the Chase’s yard.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) says Bloshenko claims he was operating eastbound along Interstate 94 at approximately 7:30 a.m. when he was cut off by a motorist.

Bloshenko indicated he lost control of the rig and drove off of the roadway before crashing into a “swampy area” near mile marker 145.

The accident required a towing service to pull the truck out.

C.L. Chase Towing was called to the scene.

Upon arriving, the towing operators, Carl and Elsje Chase, informed Bloshenko they would have to return the next day because the removal required three heavy wreckers, a service truck and two extra personnel.

So, Bloshenko was transported to a hotel in nearby Tomah to await the removal.

Court documents indicate the Chase’s returned to the scene the following day and towed the semi-truck to their property located at 141 W. Cougar Dr. in the Village of Oakdale.

Bloshenko was then presented with a bill for $20,400, to which he objected to the cost.

Bloshenko is leased to Asheville, NC-based Hickorytranz, LLC.

After discussing the matter with his boss, Bloshenko claims the Chase’s would only accept a Comcheck.

However, he informed the Chase’s that his trucking company could not get Comcheck’s totaling the amount of the bill.

He contends his boss offered to wire the money, but the Chase’s refused citing concerns that a transfer could be reversed.

Frustrated by the entire ordeal, Bloshenko returned to retrieve his semi-truck during the overnight hours of November 18, according to investigators.

The MCSD alleges Bloshenko used a tow truck to remove his truck from the Chase’s yard.

In so doing, court documents allege Bloshenko caused $3,550 in damages to the lawn, $5,000 in damages to a 2003 Chevy Silverado pickup, $1,500 in damages to a Chevy Malibu, and $500 in damages to a 1972 dump truck.

While Bloshenko acknowledges he returned and retrieved his truck without paying, he denies using a tow truck and causing any damage.

The criminal complaint asserts that charges were filed after Bloshenko was given months to remit payment, but failed to do so.

In addition to the felony charges, Bloshenko is also facing a trespass to land charge.

If convicted on all counts, Bloshenko faces more than $20,000 in fines and nine years and six months in prison.

Transportation Nation Network will continue to follow this case.

Photo courtesy C.L. Chase Towing

 

The truck driver would have probably stood a much better chance of remaining free. He might have found himself out of work, but at least he might have remained free.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

Depending on the truck age, he may have been wiser to let them have the truck.