towing | ARLnow.com

Published April 12, 2024 at 9:30AM | Updated April 12, 2024 at 10:27AM

Advanced Towing lot in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

There’s something of a war of words going on between the sponsor and a key target of a soon-to-be new towing law.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) recently signed two pieces of legislation — both backed by Arlington lawmakers — allowing Northern Virginia local governments to set tighter restrictions on tow operators. HB 959, introduced by Del. Alfonso Lopez (D), allows localities in Northern Virginia to pass “second signature” ordinances requiring towing operators to get express permission from lot owners before removing individual vehicles.

News

Bills targeting ‘predatory’ tow companies approved, opening the door for long-delayed Arlington changes

By Daniel Egitto

Published April 10, 2024 at 1:45PM

A 'towing enforced' sign (file photo)

More stringent towing ordinances could be coming to Arlington as two bills targeting “predatory” practices are set to become law.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has signed off on two pieces of legislation — both backed by Arlington lawmakers — allowing Northern Virginia local governments to set tighter restrictions on tow operators. This move could allow Arlington to implement changes to its towing ordinance originally approved in 2016 but later nixed by the state legislature.

News

Towing bills from Dels. Lopez and McClure head to Va. Senate after receiving near-unanimous House support

By Jo DeVoe

Published February 13, 2024 at 3:35PM

A 'towing enforced' sign (file photo)

Two anti-predatory towing bills from Arlington lawmakers have cleared the House of Delegates and will now head to the state Senate for discussion.

Seven years ago, former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) signed a bill preventing Northern Virginia jurisdictions from requiring real-time authorization of tows by the requesting business or parking lot during business hours.

Around Town

Missing teen found by tow driver who previously talked man down from ledge

By Jo DeVoe

Published September 19, 2023 at 2:55PM | Updated September 19, 2023 at 3:34PM

Brandon with tow driver Ryan O'Neill (courtesy Tiffany Pierce)

An Arlington high school student who had gone missing over the weekend was reunited with his family — after his stepmom says a tow truck driver spotted him.

Brandon, a Washington-Liberty High School student, was last seen Friday morning. His mom, who lives in Arlington, notified his dad and stepmother, Phil and Tiffany Pierce, of Stafford, the next day.

News

Tow truck driver cited, car owner arrested after Ballston incident

By ARLnow.com

Published September 18, 2023 at 3:45PM | Updated September 18, 2023 at 4:59PM

File photo

(Updated at 5 p.m.) A Falls Church man is facing charges and a tow truck driver is facing a traffic citation after an incident Sunday evening in Ballston.

It happened around 5:30 p.m. in front of the Advanced Towing lot on the 4000 block of 5th Road N.

News

NEW: Woman cited after car towed with kids inside

By ARLnow.com

Published September 5, 2023 at 5:30PM

Police officer with the car towed with kids inside (staff photo)

A Maryland woman was cited by police after her car was towed, unknowingly with two young children inside.

Arlington County police were called shortly after 11 a.m. today (Tuesday) by a distraught woman reporting that her car was stolen from outside the Macy’s in Pentagon City. A one-year-old and a three-year-old were inside the vehicle, the woman reported.

News

County to enforce zoning violations in Ballston public alley used by Advanced Towing

By Jo DeVoe

Published August 3, 2023 at 3:45PM | Updated August 4, 2023 at 8:49AM

Advanced Towing tow truck outside the company's lot in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

(Updated at 8:45 a.m. on 7/4/23) Arlington County says it is enforcing some wayward fencing and gates in a public alley abutting Advanced Towing and American Service Center.

It all started because of complaints about tow trucks for the Ballston company parking in front of “the most famous fire hydrant in Arlington County,” so named by public safety watchdog Dave Statter.

News

Dancing tow truck driver draws police response on Route 50

By ARLnow.com

Published February 3, 2023 at 2:45PM

Traffic camera images of tow truck whose driver's dancing prompted calls to police

Arlington County police responded to an unusual incident on Route 50 this afternoon.

It happened around 1 p.m. at the intersection with Park Drive, near the Arlington Forest Shopping Center and the Outback Steakhouse.

News

Bills filed by Arlington’s state lawmakers range from banning noisy mufflers to increasing gun control

By Jo DeVoe

Published January 13, 2023 at 11:30AM | Updated January 13, 2023 at 11:46AM

Virginia State Capitol in Richmond (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

America’s oldest continuous law-making body, the Virginia General Assembly, is now in session, and local lawmakers have introduced a slew of new legislation.

With split control of the General Assembly, Republicans of the House of Delegates and Democrats of the Senate, it’s unclear how many bills introduced by Arlington’s all-Democratic representation will pass.

News

Fake 911 calls, predatory towing on county list of legislative priorities

By Jo DeVoe

Published November 15, 2022 at 3:45PM | Updated November 17, 2022 at 8:52AM

The Arlington County Board on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022 (via Arlington County)

(Updated at 8:50 a.m. on 11/17/22) Arlington County is looking to the state legislature to help with some key priorities, including combating malicious 911 calls and predatory towing.

These are two of many issues that the county intends to have local legislators lobby for in the upcoming 2023 Virginia General Assembly session, which runs for 45 days beginning on Jan. 11, 2023.

News

County has ticketed Advanced Towing multiple times for blocking fire hydrant, says it’s an “ongoing issue”

By Matt Blitz

Published November 3, 2022 at 11:15AM

Advanced Towing truck parked in front of a fire hydrant near N. Quincy Street (photo courtesy of Matthew Young/@matthewyoung31)

Citing an “ongoing issue,” Arlington County has ticketed Advanced Towing multiple times in recent weeks for blocking “the most famous fire hydrant in Arlington County.”

Trucks from the Ballston-based towing company have received multiple tickets, including one as recently as last week, for parking and blocking a fire hydrant near the corner of 5th Road N. and N. Quincy Street, a county official has confirmed to ARLnow. They were not able to provide the exact number of tickets, however.