{"id":125019,"date":"2026-05-09T09:08:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T12:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/theyre-like-bugs-trucker-charged-46k-for-tow-until-wgn-got-involved\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T09:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T12:08:24","slug":"theyre-like-bugs-trucker-charged-46k-for-tow-until-wgn-got-involved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/en\/theyre-like-bugs-trucker-charged-46k-for-tow-until-wgn-got-involved\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018They\u2019re like bugs\u2019: Trucker charged $46K for tow, until WGN got involved"},"content":{"rendered":"


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OAK LAWN, Ill. \u2014 When a big rig got wedged under a Chicago viaduct in early April, a tow truck arrived in minutes. Then the trouble began.<\/p>\n

Tim Smith said the towing firm quoted his company, DPW Trucking, a few thousand dollars over the phone and he agreed. But when he went to pick up the trailer, the price had surged to $46,000. \u201cIt was like: \u2018You have to be kidding me! How do you come up with $46,000!\u201d Smith recalled thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t want to talk to you on the phone,\u201d DPW Trucking owner Kristin Crawford said. \u201cThey literally hang up on you. And then they, it says on their email, they will not negotiate the rate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crawford said she did a quick internet search for the name of company that they felt was holding their truck hostage, Official Towing. She found a 2024 WGN Investigates story that included a differing trucking firm that had faced a similar scenario involving Official Towing<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI actually called that company and talked to them and asked them how they got through this and they said the only way that they got through was when you guys showed up,\u201d Crawford said.<\/p>\n

WGN ARRIVES ON SCENE<\/strong><\/p>\n