Towing company owner lied about insuring bulldozer that killed 2 people

OGDEN, Utah — Charges against the owner of a Weber County towing company say he lied about the chains he used to secure the bulldozer he was transporting, which eventually fell off the trailer and killed two people in July.

On July 6, Michael John Love was driving up Ogden Canyon (eastbound) in a flatbed tow truck with a 32,000 pound bulldozer. As the road curved to the right, the bulldozer slid off the left side of the truck and landed on a passing westbound vehicle. This claimed the lives of Richard Hendrickson and his daughter Sally. Hendrickson was the president and CEO of Utah-based Lifetime Products. Other family members in the SUV were also injured.

Months later, Love was charged with two counts of 2nd degree manslaughter, one count of aggravated assault with serious injury and two counts of obstruction of justice.

Love, 51, is the owner of Marriott-Slaterville-based Love’s Towing.

According to charging documents, Love failed to properly secure the bulldozer to the flatbed truck and then lied to police about it. The bulldozer is said to have been secured only by a small chain at the rear and a towing winch at the front. Prosecutors added that those methods of securing would only safely hold a maximum of £5,000. The 32,000-pound bulldozer was also 4,300 pounds over the weight limit of the Peterbilt tow truck.

While first responders tended to the crash victims, a deputy allegedly saw Love moving chains near the truck’s storage compartment. He was ordered to stop and leave everything as it was as there was now a crime scene investigation.

In an interview with police, Love allegedly told them he secured the heavy equipment with two chains in the back, two in the front, one over the bulldozer bucket and a “J-hook.”

However, investigators obtained surveillance footage from a nearby gas station that they said was taken just minutes before the fatal incident. It showed that there were only two restraint systems – a chain at the rear and the winch cable/hook at the front.

According to the charges, Love also claimed the victims’ vehicle hit his tow truck and caused the bulldozer to come loose. Investigators determined this was not true based on witnesses, evidence and data.

Charges were filed against Love on October 22, and he was later arrested. He is being held in jail without bail because prosecutors pointed out that he has two felony criminal records for theft and “false proof of title.”