You’ve heard of ambulance chasers. Well, in Philadelphia, unlike any other US city, tow truck operators have the legal right to first-come-first-served towing of wrecked vehicles. That’s created an adrenaline-charged competition that’s the subject of a new TLC reality series, “Wreck Chasers.”
The competition for towing is a multi-million dollar business in Philadelphia. With as many as 2,000 tow trucks prowling the streets of the City of Brotherly Love, wreck chasing is a high speed and high emotion pursuit. TLC kicks off the new series on October 28th at 10:00 pm ET/PT with two back-to-back half-hour episodes. The series will have six installments in all.
Patrolling the sometimes dangerous and gritty streets of Philadelphia day and night requires discipline, attitude and teamwork. Working hand-in-hand with police and rescue crews, the wreck chasers encounter high speed chases, witness serious accidents and are in constant competition with rivals. With miles of territory and strict boundaries, the business of wreck chasing is anything but ordinary.
Meet the cast of Wreck Chasers:
Mickey and PJ – owners of “1-Unit” towing and veteran wreck chasers. Mickey is in charge of a 15-person team divided among eight trucks servicing North Philadelphia. Mickey has been wreck chasing since 1998 and is married with two children. PJ captains a 16-person crew, 10-vehicle fleet servicing West Philadelphia. He averages 150 tows a week and pulls in between 25-30 wrecks. PJ has been wreck chasing since 1996.
Redz – “1-Unit” wreck chaser. Redz is the crew’s physically imposing, not-to-be-messed-with tough guy who is usually called in when things get ugly.
Pam – “1-Unit” blocker. Pam, also known as “Tow Diva,” runs interference by blocking competing tow truck drivers from getting to wrecks before “1-Unit” does. Pam is also PJ’s wife and mother of his nine children.
Lil’ Man – “1-Unit” wreck chaser-in-training. Lil’ Man is the newest member of the “1-Unit” crew. He’s just over 5 feet tall, but has an outsized personality and tons of attitude.
Michelle – “1-Unit” wreck chaser. Michelle works days as a beautician and nights rigging up “the beast,” one of the company’s largest tow rigs. A mother of three young boys, her specialty is the $50 tow.
Wreck Chasers is produced by MY Tupelo Entertainment for TLC.
