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 hauling, which ultimately 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 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 company Lifetime Products. Other family members in the SUV were also injured.
Months later, Love was charged with two 2nd-degree felony counts of manslaughter, one count of aggravated assault with serious injury, and two counts of obstructing justice.
Love, age 51, is the owner of Love's Towing, based in Marriott-Slaterville.
According to charging documents, Love did not properly secure the bulldozer to the flatbed truck, and then later lied about it to police. They say the dozer was only secured by a small chain in the back and a towing winch in the front. Prosecutors added that those securing methods would only safely hold 5,000 pounds maximum. The dozer, at 32,000 pounds, was also 4,300 pounds over the weight limit of the Peterbilt tow truck.
While first responders were tending to the victims of the crash, a deputy allegedly saw Love moving chains near the truck's storage compartment. He was ordered to stop and leave everything as-is, since it was now a crime scene investigation.
In an interview with police, Love allegedly told them he had secured the heavy equipment with two chains in the back, two in the front, one over the bulldozer's 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 restraints — one chain in the back and the winch cable/hook in the front.
According to the charges, Love also claimed that the victims' vehicle hit his tow truck and caused the bulldozer to break free. Investigators determined that this was not true, based on witnesses, evidence and data.
Charges were filed against Love on Oct. 22, and he was later arrested. He is being held in jail without bail as prosecutors pointed out that he has two pending felony cases of theft and "false evidence of title."
