The White Ford 250 Pick Up Truck Towed from the Family Home

[Joecrisjon]

It does seem like odd timing...

When was the last time you had car trouble that was good timing???

 

[Chili Fries]

It does seem like odd timing...

Coincidences do happen. In the Somer Thompson case there were a few crazy coincidences:

- A sex offender's name and contact info mistakenly appeared on the original missing persons report.

- A sex offender had worked at the house where she had last been seen (the house was undergoing renovation after a fire).

- There was what was originally called by LE an attempted abduction right down the street from where Somer was last seen (it turned out that the abduction attempt was merely an off-duty LE person checking on the welfare of a child who had fallen off her bike).

None of these had anything to do with her disappearance and murder. The sex offender who was mistakenly put on the missing persons report (we later found out he was actually in Texas, not Florida) had a lot of sleuths scratching their heads for a while, as you can imagine.

 

[raeann]

Thank you. Is there a reason it was towed on a flat bed instead of one of those tow trucks with a big "hook" & "chains"? I'm just saying, couldn;t they just put it in neutral, prop up the front, & take it away? Or are they concerned with the undercarriage? If that's the case, what's important, mechanically speaking, with the undercarriage of the vehicle?

In our area, I can't even remember the last time I saw a hook 'em up tow truck. It has been YEARS. The flat bed is safer for many reasons, for both damage to the car and for other drivers on the street around such a truck. For example, when the hook up trucks are used with wrecked cars, loose parts can fly off or fall off while being towed. Most tow places, especially dealers, would be more likely to only own the flat bed kinds.

jmoo

 

[debs]

Thank you. Is there a reason it was towed on a flat bed instead of one of those tow trucks with a big "hook" & "chains"? I'm just saying, couldn;t they just put it in neutral, prop up the front, & take it away? Or are they concerned with the undercarriage? If that's the case, what's important, mechanically speaking, with the undercarriage of the vehicle?

Additional info: I know speculation is rampant, as I've read where Koin issued further info stating it was towed at the owners request, etc...but my question still stands. I would just think it would be easier to hook & chain, imo.

It's a matter of preference for the towing company.

 

[Jersey*Girl]

In our area, I can't even remember the last time I saw a hook 'em up tow truck. It has been YEARS. The flat bed is safer for many reasons, for both damage to the car and for other drivers on the street around such a truck. For example, when the hook up trucks are used with wrecked cars, loose parts can fly off or fall off while being towed. Most tow places, especially dealers, would be more likely to only own the flat bed kinds.

jmoo

Thank you, Raeann. Somebody just answered my question on another thread with the same info as you. Especially considering this is a truck, damage could have happened to vehicle if hook & chain were used. Where I live, they use both.

 

[raeann]

It does seem like odd timing...

Ok...here's the thing...if you think about it, this poor family is under media assault. They need to get out of their house to go to the grocery store. It's not like they could possibly be seen eating out at a restaurant, as that would cause outrage and verbal attacks beyond belief. So, they need some food and baby supplies on a regular basis. The white truck, as we have seen, is a one in a gazillion type of vehicle. The red mustang shouts "hey everyone, here we are" as it is a high profile vehicle with a personalized tag. It would seem like the truck may be an occasional use vehicle, perhaps as someone said, for the other driver in the house when he is at home. If I were them, I would try to use the truck for a quick, hopefully un-attention getting trip to the store, too. Maybe they hadn't driven it for awhile, maybe they had problems before, but either way, it has nothing to do with this case.

jmoo

 

[Calliope]

Technically, we have no "chain of command" on the comment that LE wasn't having the truck towed; it is another instance of a reporter stating she talked to someone in LE who said etc etc etc... KWIM?

I'm willing to accept she (the reporter) talked to someone in LE, and I'll concede she was most likely told what she reported. What I'm not so ready to concede is that LE may have not answered the reporter's question completely honestly due to an "ongoing investigation".....we've seen it multiple times before.

Not chain of command, chain of custody.

 

[BeanE]

Do we have any confirmation from credible sources as to who most often used the truck, Kaine or Terri?

 

[debs]

Not chain of command, chain of custody.

One does not have custody of one's words. One has command of them

I was talking about what the reporter says she was told. We ourselves never heard LE tell her that.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Thank you. Is there a reason it was towed on a flat bed instead of one of those tow trucks with a big "hook" & "chains"? I'm just saying, couldn;t they just put it in neutral, prop up the front, & take it away? Or are they concerned with the undercarriage? If that's the case, what's important, mechanically speaking, with the undercarriage of the vehicle?

Additional info: I know speculation is rampant, as I've read where Koin issued further info stating it was towed at the owners request, etc...but my question still stands. I would just think it would be easier to hook & chain, imo.

All the tow truck companies today in my area don't use the dolly anymore that guides the vehicle being towed behind the towing truck. In my area anytime a wrecker is called they put the vehicle up on the flat bed and imo it is a much safer way to transport vehicles. There has been incidences of where the dolly trailer became loose from the towing truck and have caused major wrecks....even fatalities.

As far as the truck being able to start up even though it is having starter problems does still mean the vehicle needs to be fixed or it is going to leave you sitting by the road without a way to go. It is just a matter of time the starter will not work anymore.

http://www.econofix.com/starters.html

A CUTE TRICK

Often you can tap on the rear of a starter that does NOTHING: (that is, you turn the key and get only silence: no rr-rrr-rr sound) and make it start one more time. Use a regular hammer, and tap lightly on the side of the starter towards the rear.while an assistant holds the key in the "start" position. Very often the starter will spin the engine over one more time.

What happens is the brushes wear out in the starter, making a bad electric contact. Tapping on the back of the starter with a hammer jars the brushes back in place, where they'll make contact one more time. DON'T BE SORRY! USE THE FREE START TO GO GET IT FIXED!

LOL! But I thought all this was put to rest anyway yesterday when LE plainly stated the Horman truck is not involved in the investigation?

IMO

 

[Joecrisjon]

I know there was a photo that was posted from Terri's facebook of her father on a tractor with a white truck in the background. I'm not certain if that photo was taken at the Horman's home or at Terri's parents house, but is it possible this white truck does not even belong to the Horman's but rather Terri's parents??

 

[raeann]

One does not have custody of one's words. One has command of them

I was talking about what the reporter says she was told. We ourselves never heard LE tell her that.

Two different news stations have reported the same information, which is that LE made it clear that they did not have the truck towed, and that the truck was taken to a local dealership for repairs. It would seem logical that two different reporters from two different stations did not "mis-hear" the exact same information.

The stations have had time to confirm the information as accurate, if they had found otherwise, I would assume they would be using that information for a big scoop story of the day by now.

jmo

 

[raeann]

I know there was a photo that was posted from Terri's facebook of her father on a tractor with a white truck in the background. I'm not certain if that photo was taken at the Horman's home or at Terri's parents house, but is it possible this white truck does not even belong to the Horman's but rather Terri's parents??

Now, that would make sense, as that would mean there was a more immediate need to get it repaired so that they would have their own transportation. It would also make sense if the truck belongs to the older son who would occasionally have it at home, and also have it at his grandparents house on a regular basis.

jmo

 

[BeanE]

Facebook discussions are :nono:

Discussion of who the truck might belong to are :thumb:

Thanks,
BeanE
Moderator

 

[debs]

Two different news stations have reported the same information, which is that LE made it clear that they did not have the truck towed, and that the truck was taken to a local dealership for repairs. It would seem logical that two different reporters from two different stations did not "mis-hear" the exact same information.

The stations have had time to confirm the information as accurate, if they had found otherwise, I would assume they would be using that information for a big scoop story of the day by now.

jmo

.....which is why I added the second part about having LE say one thing to the media while in the midst of an ongoing investigation. I'm not sure how one would get the matter cleared up if the source of the information is stating to multiple inquiries in the same manner. I'm merely keeping the 'ongoing investigation' as a possibility.

 

[Nellie]

Ok...here's the thing...if you think about it, this poor family is under media assault. They need to get out of their house to go to the grocery store. It's not like they could possibly be seen eating out at a restaurant, as that would cause outrage and verbal attacks beyond belief. So, they need some food and baby supplies on a regular basis. The white truck, as we have seen, is a one in a gazillion type of vehicle. The red mustang shouts "hey everyone, here we are" as it is a high profile vehicle with a personalized tag. It would seem like the truck may be an occasional use vehicle, perhaps as someone said, for the other driver in the house when he is at home. If I were them, I would try to use the truck for a quick, hopefully un-attention getting trip to the store, too. Maybe they hadn't driven it for awhile, maybe they had problems before, but either way, it has nothing to do with this case.

jmoo

Love you! Thanks! Now everyone read this! BBM

 

[raeann]

Love you! Thanks! Now everyone read this! BBM

Thanks, we all love you too!

What is really frustrating about this discussion is that there is NO connection of a white truck to this case in any way, shape or form! So some guy saw a truck on his street, big deal. LE did not search that area based on the guys sighting, they searched it as part of the 2 mile radius of the school that was planned in the search grid. It would have been searched no matter what, just as the rest of the area was.

FWIW.... We see a variety of trucks in my neighborhood late at night all the time. It could have been as simple as checking a gas line problem, or a cable outage, or even a substitute newspaper carrier making sure he knew the routes and addresses. Any of those are far more likely than that a random truck on a random street having any connection to this case.

jmo

 

[akashana]

Thing is, starters don't usually just go bad in one fell swoop. You start getting an indication early on. Once you get that indication, then you need to get it on to the mechanic. I don't think that Kaine would be driving a truck with a bad starter back and forth to work. Just doesn't make sense. Like you said, the timing is odd.

I've driven more than one vehicle with a bad starter for a couple of weeks, doing the things I mentioned in the post above. Sometimes just a tap on the starter will turn the brushes enough that it'll start. Same with rocking the vehicle.

Now it it were the alternator--I certainly wouldn't pull out of my driveway with a bad alternator.

Like I said, I'm just curious who diagnosed the starter problem, and why they didn't just tap the starter and take the truck in. That rollback ride is gonna run a hundred dollars minimum. But maybe they're not as concerned with money as I am. haha.

MY BOLD

I think $100 is on the high side. My mechanic contracts with a local wrecker service, and when something goes wrong and my car won't start, instead of trying to drive with a faltering engine through cross-town traffic and possibly stranding myself or causing a traffice jam, I call him and he sends out his wrecker. It's usually $40 added to my repair bill, and I consider it money well spent.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

MY BOLD

I think $100 is on the high side. My mechanic contracts with a local wrecker service, and when something goes wrong and my car won't start, instead of trying to drive with a faltering engine through cross-town traffic and possibly stranding myself or causing a traffice jam, I call him and he sends out his wrecker. It's usually $40 added to my repair bill, and I consider it money well spent.

I have emergency services on my vehicle insurance plan. It is really very cheap and it is worth every dime. They will even come out and fix a flat tire no matter where you are if you are stranded on the road or at home. And even if your car is sitting in your yard and has to be towed to the repair shop then that is included too.

Some insurance companies even provided this kind of coverage free of charge for customers who have their vehicle insurance with their company.

IMO

 

[Calliope]

One does not have custody of one's words. One has command of them

I was talking about what the reporter says she was told. We ourselves never heard LE tell her that.

I thought you were responding to what gourmet had posted ("LE clarified they were not having it towed and there was clearly no chain of custody")

It's entirely possible that LE had the truck towed away. But without securing chain of custody, any evidence they may glean from it would be worthless to their case. And IMO it's very unlikely LE would have towed it to a public garage/dealership.

So far we've had at least two separate news agencies report it was towed for mechanical problems. Perhaps one reporter and her employer could be lax and simply take LE at their word, but I don't see both doing so. All that would be necessary to verify LE's story is to simply follow the flatbed to its destination.