THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, March 16, 1996               TAG: 9603160355
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH                     LENGTH: Short :   42 lines

BEACH COPS CHARGE TOW-TRUCK DRIVER - AGAIN HE WAS CALLED BY POLICE TO HAUL AWAY A CAR, AND WAS CHARGED WITH DRIVING DRUNK.

For the second time in four months, tow-truck driver Martin Walling was sent Thursday night to haul away a car for the police. And for the second time in four months, police said, the tow-truck driver was driving drunk.

On Dec. 3, police called Walling's towing company to remove a car from a Shore Drive sobriety checkpoint. When Walling arrived, police said, he smelled of alcohol and had coordination problems. Officer Dave Duty charged him with drunken driving.

Police said Walling's blood-alcohol content was the highest of the seven drunken drivers they arrested that night.

On Thursday, Walling was again sent to where police had stopped a car.

When he got out of the tow-truck's cab, he again appeared drunk, police said.

Walling, 31, of the 1200 block of Baker Road, was arrested - again - this time by Officer John Lourenco.

Both times, police said, Walling had his 10-year-old son as a passenger.

And both times the owner of the A.B. Few towing company had to come pick up the truck.

Police keep a list of wrecker companies and call them sequentially when a car needs towing. Walling's company was next up Thursday when police needed the service.

His hearing for the Dec. 3 charge is scheduled for March 27. He was out on $1,000 bail when he was arrested Thursday, court records show.

The records also show that this is Walling's third offense.

He is being held without bond.

KEYWORDS: DRUNK DRIVING ARREST DUI by CNB