CLEARWATER, Fla. — A Clearwater man was arrested for criminal mischief after smashing the window of a tow truck.
36-year-old Alexander Gusman was released on his own recognizance.
His wife, Jessica Sevilla, says it was horrible.
"They charged him with criminal mischief. It upsets all my children. It upsets me. He doesn't have a criminal record," said Sevilla.
Clearwater police say the tow truck driver with A-1 Recovery came to a mobile home park in Clearwater for a lawful impound, a vehicle was parked on the grass.
"The whole family comes out, why are you taking our vehicle? Why are you taking our vehicle?" said Sevilla.
Sevilla says her neighbor, the owner of the vehicle, jumped on the back of the tow truck. Neighbors yelled at the man to get off the truck and for the tow truck driver to stop moving. Sevilla says she stood in the middle of the road.
"The tow truck, obviously, can't move because I am there. He smashed on his breaks. My husband's impulse was to hit it with a level in his hand. He had a level because he was doing construction work in my daughter's room," said Sevilla.
Gusman spoke with us in Spanish. He said he never meant to damage the tow truck. He was worried about his wife and his neighbor on the back of the tow truck.
The owner of A-1 Recovery says he did about $1,500 in damage.
A Pinellas County ordinance states, a tow truck operator must allow the vehicle's owner 20 minutes to come up with cash or payment to release the vehicle. That's what happened in this case and no one was hurt.
Gusman told us he has never been arrested. We checked and couldn't find any prior arrests.
Pinellas County says if you have any questions about towing companies, call (727)-464-6200. You may also file complaints with the county.
