TREMONTON – By Cari Doutre – June 10, 2020
*Publisher’s note: Sometimes reporters don’t always get the story right, including us at The Valley Headliner – BRVNEWS.com. An article we posted on Monday, June 8, 2020 didn’t provide full and accurate information and we apologize to our readers or anyone involved.
In an effort to correct this story, we are posting a new article from information collected from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office and from an interview with DJ Archibald on June 9.
We appreciate, and thank, Mr. Archibald for reaching out to us and the opportunity to correct this story.
The Valley Headliner – BRVNEWS.com strives to provide accurate and fair reporting on all we do – but sometimes we just have a bad day and don’t get it right.
Sometimes in life there are just bad days and unfortunate mishaps.
This was the case on Monday, June 8, for the owner of a 1988 Suburban and the towing company hired to move the broken-down Suburban to Jim and Dave’s Service in Tremonton.
DJ Archibald, from the family owned and operated service business Jim and Dave’s Service, was working at the location at the time of the incident. Archibald gave his recount on what he witnessed during that day.
“Since Friday or Saturday, she (the owner of the Suburban) has been trying to fix her rig because it’s broken-down and won’t start. Monday rolls around and she starts calling around and called us,” Archibald said.
He told her that that they would a look at the vehicle. A tow truck, hired by the owner of the vehicle, appeared shortly after 11 a.m. that day to deliver the Suburban. Archibald added that his brother, who was also working that day at Jim and Dave’s, showed the driver of the tow truck where he could park and unload the vehicle.
“All of the sudden it (the Suburban) dropped down there and was in the canal,” Archibald recalled.
There were no occupants in the vehicle when it went into the canal.
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According to a report from the Box Elder County Sheriff’s Office, an off-duty deputy was at the station and witnessed the accident. The report stated that a tow winch gave out and a conversation with the tow truck operated added that he couldn’t stop it.
“The error in this incident is believed to be the winch that hoists and lowers the vehicles and it’s stability,” the report added.
Archibald didn’t see the Suburban plunge into the water but was there to witness what happened next.
“The tow truck driver called for backup requesting a second tow truck so they could properly pull it out without tipping it on it’s side while dragging it,” he said.
The two tow trucks were successful in pulling the Suburban out of the canal. Archibald added that the vehicle was in the water for about an hour.
Jim and Dave’s had no dealings with the towing company sent by the owner of the Suburban nor did they have any part in this unfortunate mishap.
“It was just simply a mistake from the tow truck driver. An unfortunate accident,” Archibald added.
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