Badlands Towing & Recovery, LLC Opens In Broadus

Damian and Kayla Desatoff of Broadus are the owners of Broadus' newest and only current wrecker service – Badlands Towing & Recovery, LLC.

The couple recently purchased the Ford F450 tow rig, and have already been busy, as the company answers calls to stranded motorists and breakdowns. Damian tells us that Badlands will handle accident recoveries and vehicle recoveries up to the size of large pickup and some box trucks, including off-road recoveries. They also specialize in emergency roadside assistance, for example dead batteries, folks locked out of their vehicles, blown tires, or motorists stranded after running out of fuel. They are also able to offload and onload trailers, and are able to load and tow motorcycles, atvs, and utvs. One point of emphasis Damian wanted to make was that Badlands will not be doing mechanic work, but will tow stranded vehicles to local mechanics: "Our priority is to get the casualty vehicle off the road as quickly as possible."

With those thoughts in mind, the company offers 24/7 support, and reachable by calling 406-935-3338.

Damian said that as long as he can remember he's been fascinated with tow trucks, and knew that someday he wanted to operate his own towing business. He previously worked for a towing operation in Hardin, bringing years of tow truck driving experience to the new business.

"Badlands Towing & Recovery is a dream seven years in the making for Kayla and I," he commented. "We're proud to offer the service, and we appreciate the support of the community. Our priority is safety – whether for our first responders at the scene of an accident, or stranded motorists."

Badlands will operate in Powder River County, along with the Ashland area, Alzada, and up to Miles City. Desatoff noted that the company is licensed and insured, and accepts all forms of payments directly at the truck.

Damian has lived and worked in the Broadus community as a mechanic for Hi-Tech Auto, where he is also employed. He and his wife of 8 years, Kayla, have two children, Leighla, age 6, and Laramie, age 5.

Future plans for the company include the potential for site clean-up, a "rotator" tow truck that allows more towing options and for traffic to better flow past an accident, and the potential for a truck wrecker.

When speaking to Damian last week about the company, he emphasized the importance of Montana's "Slow Down, Move Over Law," which went into effect in 2023. Damian lost two friends and colleague tow truck drivers in a wreck near Columbus in 2020. The incident helped prompt the law's enactment.

The law states that when approaching stationary emergency, towing, or maintenance/construction crews, drivers must slow down by 30 mph below the posted speed limit on state highways if able to move lanes, or half the posted speed limit if unable to change lanes (or half the speed limit on other roads, such as city streets with lower speed limits).

Those in violation of the law may be charged with reckless endangerment, which could result in fines up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to one year.