Ollala Towing Company in The News

OLLALA, WA – Things have returned to normal for a family towing business that made headlines for a second time in recent months. Bethel Towing assisted police by locating and ultimately recovering a stolen SUV submerged off Gig Harbor. This comes just month after another driver trapped a fleeing suspect from escaping until police arrived.

On the morning of June 24 police were informed by a witness that a late model Toyota Highlander entered the water near a particular spot in Ollala. It had been reported stolen hours earlier. Area police called in Bethel Towing, a Washington State family-owned shop that handled difficult recoveries. They’ve been in business since 1971.

Tow operators Ron Jake, Jon Schessler and Alex Lee were quickly able to locate the site, spending over two hours slowly extracting the vehicle from the sandy shoreline. The crew was able to pull the SUV out using a cable and chain lift. They pulled the vehicle up a cliff and over mud, rocks and rugged terrain without incident.

“This is what we live for,” said Jake, who has been towing vehicles for nearly three decades.

Bethel also made headlines at Christmas by helping police catch a suspected drunk driver following a high speed chase. When their truck arrived at an accident scene involving two cars, the operator instructed both drivers to clear the road. The vehicles were blocking the intersection of Riddell and Wheaton Way. That’s when witnesses say one driver fled the scene in her Chevy Malibu.

The tow operator followed her in a pursuit that eventually became high speed. It ended when Bethel’s driver trapped the Malibu in a Grocery Outlet parking lot nearly a mile from the initial scene. When Bremerton police arrived they saw the two engaged in an argument. Upon spotting the officers the driver who fled tried again to escape the scene. Officers detained her without incident.

The police report said the thirty-five year old woman was drunk and failed to produce a valid driver’s license. She was then taken into custody and booked at Kitsap County Jail on suspicion of hit and run and driving under the influence. She was also charged with obstructing a police officer. Bail was set at $25,000.

The tow truck driver reported to police that he used his flashing lights as he chased the female driver at a speed between 60 and 80 mph. He had been listening to the radio awaiting another call when he saw the accident blocking the road. The driver for Bethel was not identified by police.

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