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Nick's In The News
We had the pleasure of being included in both American Towman Illustrated online and Tow Times magazine. If you have a few moments to sit back and read these we'd love it. Thank you!
Car Found Upside-Down In River
by Jim "Buck" Sorrenti
Nick's Towing Service in Rutherford, N.J., was founded by Nicholas F. Testa in 1972 and now runs 30 pieces of equipment serving 48 states. After more than 40 years, there is nothing they haven't encountered in equipment or situation.
On Jan. 16, 2016, Nick's was called by the Wallington Police to recover a vehicle from the Passaic River.
For reasons unknown, this vehicle went through a parking lot and over a river bank and dropped approximately 50' into the Passaic River. The driver, a 22-year-old woman, was tragically killed in this accident. The submerged car was not discovered for two days.
The search started when the Wallington Police were dispatched on a report of property damage. A local resident stated that his guardrail and fence were damaged. Upon checking the area, officers saw pieces of what appeared to be a vehicle, loose dirt and shifted brush. There were no visible signs of the vehicle in the Passaic River, but an officer on scene requested the Wallington Scuba Team.
Multiple boats and divers were deployed and they located the submerged vehicle. It was found on its roof with the front of the car pointing north towards the embankment. The vehicle was later identified as a gray 1998 Mitsubishi Gallant. Nick's was called to recover the vehicle.
Nick's dispatched their recovery team consisting of team leader Tom Prince Jr., Anthony Picciano, John Sagun Jr. and Tim Panico. They responded to the scene with their 2007 Century 1075S 75-ton rotator, emergency response vehicle with a fully equipped recovery trailer and a Century flatbed.
"With the cooperation and help of the Wallington and Lyndhurst, New Jersey, dive teams, as well as the Wallington Police and Bergen County Prosecutor's office, a strategy for the recovery was put into place with our recovery team," Testa said.
Sagun was sent down a ladder to an awaiting dive team boat. He was transported to the vehicle where he was able to rig the car using nylon endless loops.
"All communication between our recovery team, as well as some emergency responders, was done with our [wireless headset]," Testa said. "Once the car was rigged, it was lifted slowly out of the water and brought to the river bank to respectfully do the extrication of the deceased."
Once the body of the young woman was removed, the Century rotator first lifted the car from the river, allowing the water to drain from vehicle to make the final lift lighter. The vehicle was then lifted up and over some pine trees to the parking lot.
They hooked a cable from the flatbed to the front of the car to hold it as they let the wire rope out, and rotated the boom at the same time to put the vehicle on the ground for the initial police investigation to take place.
After packing up their equipment, the vehicle was transported to Nick's storage facility, where it was secured in their building and held for further investigation.
"This was a great team effort by all emergency responders under extremely tragic circumstances," Testa said. "Our prayers go out to the family of the young woman."
Show Yours @ TIW
Do you have a recovery to share with TIW readers? Send some pics and info to our Field Editor Jim "Buck" Sorrenti at
[email protected]
; your story may even be selected for print in
American Towman magazine
!
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