A tow truck driver allegedly targeted a northern California couple by attempting to steal their car as they were stopped at a light in downtown San Francisco, video footage appears to show.
Joanne, who only told ABC7 News her first name, and her husband were reportedly driving through downtown San Francisco the morning of April 9, 2024, running errands before the interaction occurred. While stopped at a traffic light, the couple noticed a yellow Specialty Towing truck moving near them as they sat in their silver 2017 Toyota Corolla, according to the outlet.
The couple at first believed the truck driver was heading towards a nearby Waymo autonomous vehicle; however, he began to reverse towards the couple, lowering the vehicle’s lever, according to the outlet. (RELATED: San Francisco Can’t Seem To Shake Its Poop Problem Despite Spending Millions On Public Toilets)
“We were at a stoplight and minding our own business,” Joanne told the outlet. “He came from the side. I thought he was turning right. He started in reverse and all the lights came on. That’s when we were like, ‘Hey, something’s really wrong.’ His lever was coming down.”
Video footage of the incident was posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), showing the moment the yellow tow truck appears to be attempting to hook to Joanne’s car by backing up. The bystander recording the video could be heard yelling, “What the fuck are you doing?” at the tow truck, as Joanne could faintly be heard also attempting to yell at the tow truck driver.
This woman and her husband were stopped at a light at Montgomery & Bush yesterday morning when a tow truck comes out of nowhere & tries to hook onto their Toyota!
I spoke to Joanne today who says her car is paid off, paid her registration & doesn’t get why her car was targeted.… pic.twitter.com/6p2z0yBEfg
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) April 11, 2024
As the traffic light turned green the tow truck did not advance forward, pinning the couple in, according to the outlet.
“We were freaking out. The first instinct was to get away,” Joanne told ABC7 News.
However, a black sedan directly behind the couple’s Toyota could be seen backing up, giving the couple room to avoid the tow truck and escape down the street. The tow truck then followed the couple’s car for what Joanne claimed was for several more blocks, the outlet reported.
San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu announced in February that Auto Towing and several affiliated individuals and companies, which included Speciality Towing, were suspended and prohibited from bidding on or receiving city contracts, according to a press statement. The towing companies were barred by officials due to “illegally towing cars of vulnerable individuals from a private commercial parking lot, limiting the times vehicles could be retrieved, and pressuring vehicle owners to pay in cash.”