Towing Companies Rake It In After Snowstorm - FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |

By:  Melina Matthes
MMatthes@kptm.com

OMAHA (kptm) - While the snowstorm prevented many from working and going to school, it kept tow truck drivers busy. 

"The visibility was horrible."  High winds and blowing snow made driving on local interstates treacherous.  Sharon Harbin quickly realized she should've just stayed home. 

"I was trying to get on exit 1B and I hit a patch of something, ice or something and I just went flying," Harbin says.

And she wasn't the only one.  Dozens of vehicles littered the roads.  "The back end just started to slid out from underneath the car and we weren't going very fast probably 10-15 mph and you know once we got to a certain point there just was no stopping it, it didn't matter what you did so just went right over the embankment right over…down the ledge," Megan Doxtator says.

Doug Patrick made it to Shelby, but the interstate was closed and he had to turn around.  He reached Council Bluffs when he went off the road.  "I did it intentionally because there were two cars that spun out in front of me and I didn't want to have an accident or have a wreck so I just went in intentionally," he says.

And that's when James Burgin and the rest of the crew from Arrow Towing and Recovery come in.  They specialize in saving stranded cars, those needing a tow truck to hook em up and pull em out.  "Trying to get some vehicles out of places they're not supposed to be," Burgin says.

He says some of the vehicles are harder to recover than others.  For example, SUV's stuck in the ditch.  They are four-wheel drive.  It takes a lot more for the tow trucks to get those out of the ditch.  "Especially if there's no keys with them, cause then you got to drag all four wheels," he says.

And while he likes coming to the rescue for drivers, he says working in blizzard like conditions is dangerous.  Often time's drivers can't see him and pass by too closely.  "It's always in the back of your head.  I do certain things to make sure I can see the traffic that's coming at me when I'm running straps stuff like that it's just there…it can happen," Burgin says.

He urges drivers to be careful and to give them room when they see the flashing lights.  "You could take a life if you're not careful."