Runs Two Repossessors off the road, including an Alleged Disgruntled Former Employee
Spartanburg, SC – 1- June 2021 – The owner of “Affliction Towing” has been charged with possession of a weapon during a violent crime, malicious damage to personal property and kidnapping after a confrontation with three men repossessing his tow trucks on I-26 Wednesday night.
On Wednesday night, Spartanburg County deputies responded to an incident involving multiple wreckers on the I-26.
“He had three towing trucks that were in Asheville, North Carolina. And, last night, he received a GPS alert that the trucks were moving down I-26, heading back to Spartanburg. Knowing his trucks weren’t in use at that time, he went to investigate,” Christopher Cole’s attorney reported during a Thursday bond hearing.
According to an incident report, another towing company was attempting to repossess some of Christopher Cole’s towing trucks.
In Thursday’s bond hearing, Cole’s attorney complained; “Your honor, we haven’t seen any orders of repossession,” he said. “The lead ringleader of the ones repossessing his truck is a former disgruntled employee of Mr. Cole’s.”
According to the incident report, Cole caught up to the trucks near mile marker 17 in the eastbound lanes of the I-26 where he ran two of them off the road and into a ditch.
The deputies report stated that he then attempted to recover one of the tow company’s trucks with his snatch truck to prevent them from leaving, causing damage to the vehicle.
Cole allegedly then got out of his vehicle and pulled out a gun on the three men.
“It is a miracle that nobody got seriously hurt or even killed,” stated Lt. Kevin Bobo, with the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office on a TV interview.
Cole has been charged with pointing and presenting a firearm, unlawful carry, possession of a weapon during a violent crime, malicious damage to personal property, and kidnapping.
At theh Thursday hearing, Cole’s attorney complained again; “Your honor, I submit it’s a gross overcharge based on my understanding of the facts,”.
According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office , these aren’t the first charges on Cole’s record. They had dealt with Cole frequently back in 2018, when he owned “Cole’s Towing.”
“Towing cars for unlawful reasons and then charging very high fees for people to get their cars back,” Lt. Bobo said.
According to a FaceBook post on May 14, 2021 under the group name “I Am the Discarded”, Cole’s previous company had been suspended. “The Predatory Towing company operated by Chris Cole, (dba, Cole Towing, Southern Pride, and now AFFLICTION Towing is back in business. If you can recall his business license was SUSPENDED by the Spartanburg, SC city/county council. He was BANNED in GREER, SC, and is now operating out of GREENVILLE, SC. This corrupt towing company preys on the elderly, and disabled.”
Cole now runs the appropriately named, if the allegations are true, tow company; “Affliction Towing,” and the sheriff’s office claims that they have had five similar reports involving Cole just last month.
“The way he conducts business casts a bad light on that profession as a whole,” Bobo said. “In my 33 years at the sheriff’s office, I cannot think of any towing company that we’ve had this many complaints on as we’ve had with his towing company.”
Several victims of Cole’s alleged incident appeared at Thursday’s hearing requesting the judge apply the crime’s highest bonds.
“I want no contact with him, and whichever bond would be the best to where he could stay away from our company,” one victim said. No name of the alleged repossession company were given.
Cole received a $2,000 personal recognizance bond for the malicious injury to personal property charge and a cash surety bond of $26,000 for all the other charges.
Cole has been ordered to be placed on home detention and GPS monitoring and have no direct or indirect contact with the victims or companies involved, and he cannot possess a firearm.
Cole’s is next expected in court on August 19th at 9:00 a.m.
Source: 7 News WSPA.com
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