Mother Of Murdered Philadelphia Tow Truck Driver Speaks Out

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The mother of a murdered Philadelphia tow truck driver is pleading for an end to violence that, she says, cost her son his life early Sunday morning on a bar parking lot at Frankford and Lehigh Aves in Kensington.

Ray Santiago, a father of two young sons, was allegedly run down by another tow truck driver, Glen McDaniel, in a fight over tow truck territory rights. McDaniel is now being held without bail on murder and other charges.

Rosaura Santiago says her son was working hard in a tough dangerous business to support his family. Santiago's death was the most recent, and worst, in a series of violent incidents involving tow truck drivers including towing offices hit by bullets, vehicles torched and another tower shot and wounded.

Police tell CBS that money might be driving the violent rivalries, a single tow potentially netting a driver as much as 500 to a thousand dollars.

Santiago, his mother says, died just hours before a planned birthday celebration for her and his two year old son.

Story Contributor: CBS 3 Reporter Walt Hunter