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Wrecks keep tow truck drivers busy

Wrecks kept tow truck drivers busy on Tuesday as they scrambled to respond to car accidents throughout the city. While many auto body shops closed for the day, one says they received cars with thousands of dollars in estimated damage.

Black ice and dangerous road conditions triggered more than a hundred car accidents, as well as multiple highway and street closures.

While many stayed home, tow truck drivers braved the roads to get drivers to safety.

Multiple tow truck companies say they responded to a spike of car accidents.

Pantusa Towing & Recovery says they typically respond to dead batteries, tire changes or a mechanical problem, but Tuesday was different.

"Lots of ice, lots of accidents, cars stranded on the side of the highway," Jose Rodriguez said.

San Antonio Express-News Reported at least 180 accidents, two of which involved SAPD officers between midnight and noon on Tuesday across the city.

"Some of them are pushed in pretty bad, but most of them are just fender benders, they hit another car or they kind of scraped up against the side wall," Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez has been in the towing business for about five years and the ice proved to be a challenge even for him.

"I have to take it slow," Rodriguez said.

He says he had to use alternate routes due to closed roads and highways and had trouble finding body shops to drop off damaged cars.

Select One Collision Center on 7214 Eckert Road was one of the few open.

"What we've heard is most of the shops have been closed today,” Frank Soto said. “We are kind of fortunate we stayed open."

He says two cars were dropped off at the body shop.

"One of the cars we saw is probably in the area of about $8,000 - $9,000 [in estimated damage],” Soto said. “The other one is probably going to be $7,000 - $8,000."

As the city returns to normal, Soto expects more drivers to drop into body shops for minor repairs.

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