COUNTYWIDE : Revelers Offered Free Holiday Tows

In an effort to reduce the number of drunken drivers this holiday season, many Ventura County towing companies plan to offer free tows to revelers who have had too much to drink and wish to get their cars home safely.

The free towing, offered by Towing Operators Working to Eliminate Drunk Driving, or TOWED, will be provided to people going home from parties and bars, and not to people wanting to go to other parties or bars, campaign coordinator Russ Euglow said. Disabled vehicles are also excluded from the TOWED program.

Local towing companies and their counterparts in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties hope drivers will take part in the program rather than endangering their lives and the lives of innocent people, Bob Carlson Automotive & Towing Manager Joe Bentz said.

Bob Carlson and two other companies will offer free towing to party-goers in the Ventura area.

“If they utilize this service and they avoid getting pulled over, they’ve saved themselves $1,225,” Bentz said. “That’s the minimum fine for first-time offenders convicted of driving under the influence in Ventura County.”

FREE HOLIDAY TOWING

Free towing is offered to revelers who have had too much to drink and want to get their cars home safely. Dates of the service vary.

Camarillo Jim’s Emergency Road Service Dec. 30 - Jan. 1 482-1210 Ojai Adamsons Towing Dec. 2 - Jan. 4 646-1945 Ojai Towing Dec. 4 - Jan. 1 640-1869 Oxnard Airport Chevron Dec. 10 - Jan. 1 487-4107 McCarty & Sons Towing Dec. 10 - Jan. 1 487-4107 Owl Towing Dec. 10 - Jan. 1 487-4107 Port Hueneme Hueneme Towing Dec. 10 - Jan. 1 487-4107 Simi Valley Dave’s Club Service Dec. 14 - Jan. 2 526-4221 Swink’s Towing Dec. 14 - Jan. 2 522-2262 Thousand Oaks Gene’s Towing Service Dec. 15 - Jan. 2 497-4375 Thousand Oaks Towing Service Dec. 15 - Jan. 2 496-3909 Ventura Bob Carlson Towing Dec. 5 - Jan. 1 644-7273 Double ‘R’ Towing Dec. 4 - Jan. 1 658-1970