Tow driver faces murder charges

More blood has spilled in the ongoing tow truck violence, and this time it was deadly.
Ray Santiago, a driver with Siani’s Towing, was allegedly run over on purpose by a rival tow truck driver in North Philadelphia early yesterday, police and friends said. Glen McDaniel, 25, a driver with Straight Up Towing, was charged with murder last night, police said.

Santiago, 30, had been with Siani’s for about a year, friends said at the scene of the attack on Frankford Avenue just south of East Lehigh Avenue.

“This had to do with those tow truck wars,” said a friend, who identified himself only as Angel. “Everything you hear about those feuds is true.”

Violence between tow truck drivers first erupted in July when drivers from two companies allegedly targeted each other, sparked by a shooting of a driver at the scene of a car crash a day before. Cars on a lot were burned and bullets were fired into a truck.

A makeshift memorial was set up where McDaniel allegedly ran down Santiago in a parking lot.

A police spokeswoman said the suspect ran him over a few times. Straight Up Towing could not be reached for comment.