Former Elgin towing company that worked with police is under state investigation
A former Elgin towing company that worked with the police department is being investigated by state officials and never had a safety towing license, officials said.
The company, Car Search, which did business as Artie's Towing, was dissolved in August. But the police department now works with another similarly named towing company owned by the same family, which also has had state license irregularities.
Safety towing licenses allow towing of damaged or disabled vehicles and have been required since 2008, Illinois Commerce Commission spokeswoman Marianne Manko said.
Aside from its work with police, Car Search/Artie's Towing had a license to move vehicles that trespass on private property, but it was revoked by the Illinois Commerce Commission in August 2017, Manko said.
The agency "has been following up on leads they were still operating without authority since last year, so they've had an open file for some time," she said. The company was issued several citations and owed $7,000 earlier this month, she said.
Company owner Art Speciale said he takes responsibility for issues involving the relocation towing license and is trying to resolve things with the ICC. As for the safety towing license, for a long time he wasn't aware he needed one - "I'm a moron," he said.
Car Search/Artie's Towing was one of two companies the Elgin Police Department had been calling for tows on a 14-day rotation since at least 2009. The other is Redmon's Village Towing, which has offices in Elgin and Schaumburg.
City officials said the police department is now working with Arties Inc., a company created last year and registered to Speciale's wife, Kimberly Speciale.
Art Speciale said he's getting ready to retire and the new company's president is his son, Nick. "I'm going to be a farmer," he said.
Elgin spokeswoman Molly Center said the city last week requested updated federal tax information and confirmed Arties Inc. has a valid safety towing license.
"The city expects the towing companies to possess the appropriate licenses," she said.
A safety towing license for Arties Inc. was issued Sept. 25, 2017, revoked in April and reinstated in June, Manko said. That license expired July 31 and a new one was issued Aug. 30, she said.
Art Speciale attributed the temporary revocation to the timing of his payment for insurance, which he said never lapsed.
Elgin police also calls towing companies for reasons other than accidents, such as when a driver is stopped and arrested. In that case, Illinois law would require a public carrier certificate, which Arties Inc. doesn't have, Manko said.
Center, however, said the city was told by the ICC that a safety towing license "is sufficient for all Elgin police and safety towing purposes."
Art Speciale said he, too, got conflicting information about the issue but now plans to get a public carrier certificate nonetheless.
"I've always worked well with the city," he said. "I've always done a good job and I've always been fair to people."
Redmon's Village Towing has both a valid safety towing license and public carrier certificate, Manko said.
Ed Forsythe, executive director for the Professional Towing & Recovery Operators of Illinois, said all towing companies should have public carrier certificates, which he called "very cheap."
His organization tried to fight in court the 2008 law that required safety towing licenses, which can be costly at $450 per company plus $150 per tow truck, Forsythe said.