A Florida tow truck driver is facing criminal charges after accidentally towing away a car with a four-year-old girl still inside. The incident, captured on surveillance footage, unfolded in broad daylight outside a restaurant in Sunrise, Florida, raising serious concerns about safety protocols in vehicle recovery operations.
The Incident: A Harrowing Chase
On Sunday, the tow truck driver, identified as Sergio Suarez of All-Ways Towing & Storage, hooked onto a sedan parked illegally outside Bistro Creole Restaurant. The car’s father had briefly left his daughter unattended inside while running into the restaurant. Seconds later, Suarez began towing the vehicle.
The father reportedly chased after the truck, yelling that his child was still in the back seat, but Suarez continued driving. The girl eventually fell out of the moving vehicle, sustaining minor injuries to her arms and knees.
Arrest and Conflicting Accounts
Police quickly responded, ordering Suarez to return the car. He complied but then attempted to flee before being arrested and charged with child neglect. Suarez maintains his innocence, claiming through his attorney that he checked the vehicle three times before towing it and found no child present. His attorney stated that a “spotter” colleague also inspected the car without seeing the girl.
Judge Questions Claims
The account has been met with skepticism. Judge Corey Friedman, presiding over the case, expressed disbelief, stating that if a four-year-old had to jump from the vehicle with injuries, someone should have noticed.
The incident highlights critical failures in standard towing procedures and raises questions about liability. Tow companies are legally obligated to ensure vehicles are empty before towing them, but this case suggests those checks may not be consistently performed. The father’s illegal parking does not excuse the negligence in the towing process.
This incident underscores the need for stricter oversight of towing operations to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
