Tow Crew Clashes With Park Ranger While Recovering $250,000 Porsche From Angeles Crest Ravine

Pepe's Towing says its crew hauled a 75-ton rotator nicknamed "Big Flipper" roughly 40 miles up Angeles Crest Highway to recover a 2020 Porsche 911 GT3 RS that plunged into a steep ravine on July 24. Video of the operation shows a tense on-scene confrontation between the tow crew and a uniformed official the company described as a park ranger.

What Happened

According to Pepe's, the recovery was requested through a law-enforcement rotation. After an officer briefly remained while the crew established a roadside work area and began hiking down the slope, the officer left the scene — a step the towing company described as routine. As the crew worked to rig and lift the badly damaged sports car back to the roadway, a uniformed official stepped in and attempted to halt the operation, prompting a heated exchange captured on video.

The footage documents the confrontation but does not show how the crash occurred or fully explain the ranger's reasons for trying to stop the tow. Mike Leum, an assistant director with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue Program, said the Porsche went about 300 feet over the side and that the driver sustained moderate injuries before being transported by LASD Air Rescue 5.

Equipment And Recovery

Pepe's brought a 75-ton rotating wrecker — a type of tow truck whose boom can be positioned independently of the chassis — to reach terrain ordinary tow trucks cannot safely access. The company completed the recovery and returned the badly damaged vehicle to the roadway.

Jurisdictional Notes

Jurisdiction along Angeles Crest Highway is complex: the road runs through Angeles National Forest, but the U.S. Forest Service says State Route 2 is not maintained by the agency. Caltrans identifies the corridor as California State Route 2, which can create overlapping responsibilities among federal, state and local authorities.

Vehicle Details

Pepe's identified the wreck as a used 2020 Porsche 911 GT3 RS with an estimated pre-crash value near $250,000. Classic.com's market benchmark for the 991-generation GT3 RS (2018–2020) is roughly $241,500, though actual values depend on mileage, options, condition and ownership history. Porsche's description of the 991 GT3 RS highlights a racing-derived chassis and a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter engine rated at 520 metric horsepower, which helps explain its premium price.

Note: The video captures the dispute but does not include the events leading to the crash or the ranger's full rationale for intervening.