PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said a man was arrested after he fraudulently towed a vehicle from a crash site.
Officials said there was a vehicle crash with injuries on I-275 near mile marker 44 at about 9:20 p.m. on Jan. 18.
A road ranger was quickly on the scene and closed the left lane of the roadway, which was blocked by a red Chevrolet SUV, according to FHP.
A white towing truck, driven by 23-year-old Abrahim S. Ahmad, pulled up to the scene, and Ahmad told the owner of the Chevrolet to stand to the side so he could hook up his tow truck to the crashed vehicle, per the report.
According to FHP, the owner refused and told Ahmad not to touch his car, but Ahmad told the Chevrolet owner he did not have a choice.
Ahmad then hooked up the Chevrolet to his truck and told the owner he was going to drop it down the street, per officials.
Officials said the road ranger on the scene gathered the Chevrolet owner and passenger and followed the tow truck to a 7-11 located at SR 574 and I-275, where Ahmad dropped the vehicle.
The report said the Chevrolet owner requested Ahmad remain on scene until law enforcement arrived, but Ahmad refused and told the owner to sign a form before leaving the scene.
The owner said Ahmad identified himself as Frankie. He also took photos of the truck's information, so Pasco troopers were eventually able to locate Ahmad with the tow truck and detained him.
According to officials, the same tow truck was stopped in early December for the same issues, and the occupants of the tow truck were given a warning.
FHP said the tow truck Ahmad was driving was purchased from a legit towing company out of Miami, but the suspect removed the old phone number from the side of the truck and left all the other stickers, including the old FLDOT number.
Ahmad was charged with grand theft auto, solicitation by unauthorized wrecker operator and obstruction without violence.
Officials are asking any other victims to contact FHP at *347.
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