No Love Lost for Company That Towed ESPN Sportscaster's Car

PHOTO of Advanced Towing mobile office in Arlington, Va. by Yelp user Donald P.

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Ask anyone in Arlington, Va. — you won’t hear many glowing words for Advanced Towing, the company that towed a car belonging to ESPN sportscaster Britt McHenry. The company has been in the news in the past for towing a car with a dog inside and starting to tow a car with two kids in the back seat.

McHenry showed up earlier this month at the tow company’s trailer to pay a fine and unleashed a torrent of venom aimed at the woman behind the glass, all caught on video that went viral, earning McHenry a very public suspension from her job.

The tow company employee is identified by Busted Coverage as Gina Michelle. An employee at the towing company said Friday that Gina Michelle had left for the weekend and “probably doesn’t know anything” about all the media coverage.

“It wasn’t [our employee’s fault] that Britt’s car was towed,” the manager tells TMZ Sports. “It’s her own fault. She was in the wrong. That’s why she was towed.”

“Now people can see what really happened,” he said. “Sometimes you have to own up to your own actions.”

While McHenry’s actions have lit up the Twitterverse, there are plenty of people in Arlington who are likely glad to see Advanced Towing take a verbal pounding, according to online reviews. Yelp reviewers have plenty to say about the company:

• Ron H. writes: “These folks are the absolute scum of the Earth. They nabbed me out of the DMV parking lot while I was inside renewing my tags and drivers license on my birthday.”
• Wes J. says: “ It’s car-jacking, plain and simple. Until you walk into someplace without your jacket in winter, have your car jacked in under a minute, then have to walk in freezing cold weather over a mile to this small trailer in Arlington - that is a small slice of attitude hell...”
• Al E. comments: “ I had not been away from my car for more than 3 minutes so there were like vultures! After walking to the tow truck place, I arrived to find a very long line of people waiting to get their cars back.”

Reviews on Google aren’t much better:

• Ryan says: “Dirty crooks. They towed my car one minute after Golds Gym closed.”
• John L. notes: “Worst company ever. Worst customer service ever.”

The Better Business Bureau gives the company an “F.” The BBB has received 40 complaints about Advanced Towing in the past three years, of which Advanced did not respond to 37.

McHenry isn’t faring much better, with people weighing in on social media and roundly condemning her for her actions. Although McHenry issued an apology, many on Twitter say she needs to apologize to the woman at the towing company who took the brunt of the comments.

So far, ESPN has said the sportscaster is only suspended for one week.