Sobering statistics on the towing industry.

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:42:27 PST

I got this sent to me and I feel that I need to repost it and keep it up so everyone knows just how dangerous our jobs are. I know we all know the dangers, but there are others who come read the board and lurk behind the scenes.

I hope that it can keep going for each and every month, and keep the public aware.

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Here is an eye opener of why there is a SLOW DOWN / MOVE OVER Law and why it need's to be obeyed. I am attaching a list of Tow Drivers that have lost their lives in January 2012!!!!! This obviously does not include the many close calls / near misses!!!! Also I am sure there are other Emergency services such as Police, Fire, EMS, and Etc. that are also included in this.
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING

Jerry "the Bull" Bullock Obituary and memorial information --- Oregon

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:35:06 PST

Obituary information provided by the Bullock family:

Jerry Lee Bullock was born in Walla Walla, Washington on January 14, 1942. He passed away at his home in West Linn, Oregon on Friday, October 7, 2011. Jerry was 69 years of age when he passed from congestive heart failure and COPD.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 43 years, Georgia “Jo” Bullock; his children Jim (Debbie), Dawn (Rick), Dana, Dean (Debbie), and Lori; his nephews Lance Bullock and L.G. Bullock (their children Ryan, Hannah, and Gracie); his grandchildren Shelley, Cassandra, Matt, Robin, Nicolas, Shaylah, and Samuel; his great-grandchildren Alyssa, Brooklyn, Maggie, Camryn, and Elijah; he is further survived by his beloved companion dog, Bandit. Jerry was preceded in death by his mother Theda L. Kerr Bullock, his father Wallace F. Bullock, and his brother Daniel Wallace Bullock.

Jerry grew up in Milton-Freewater, Oregon and graduated from McLoughlin Union High...

2 tow truck drivers killed in Iowa while working on a tow

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:52:20 PST

We just lost 2 drivers from the same company in a tragic accident while they were working...

Four Killed On Interstate 80

POSTED: 9:39 pm CDT September 13, 2011
UPDATED: 7:54 am CDT September 14, 2011

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Iowa State Patrol said four people have been killed in a crash along Interstate 80 near Grinnell in central Iowa.

The patrol said the crash happened Tuesday night when a semitrailer driven by 54-year-old Herbert Terrell of Huntington, Ind., hit vehicles and people on the shoulder of the interstate working to help a disabled flatbed truck.

The patrol said the three drivers of the trucks on the side of the roadway were outside of their vehicles when Terrell's truck slammed into them.

Killed were...

William Padilla (Seattle, Washington)

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:19:59 PST

Tow truck operator killed in hit-and-run crash on I-5

Officials said the tow truck driver was on the ramp from Spokane Street to southbound I-5 working on a vehicle damaged in an earlier crash when he was hit Friday morning.

Story Published: Sep 24, 2010 at 7:24 AM PDT

Story Updated: Sep 25, 2010 at 2:38 PM PDT

Michael Cummisky (Oklahoma )

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:15:48 PST

Broken Arrow Man Dies In I-35 Truck Crash In Noble County

Posted: Sep 29, 2010 2:52 PM CDT Updated: Sep 30, 2010 7:20 AM CDT

Man Dies In Tow Truck Crash

Posted: 11:59 am EDT April 27, 2009Updated: 5:44 pm EDT April 27, 2009

GREENE COUNTY, Ohio -- A Dayton man was killed after the tow truck he was driving blew a tire causing him to lose control. Another man, the passenger in the truck, was rushed to Miami Valley Hospital aboard Careflight. The crash happened at 11:50 a.m. on Route 35 east of Route 72 in Silvercreek Township in Greene County. Troopers have identified the victim as Michael A. Justice, 43, of Dayton. They say he driving the tow truck in the eastbound lanes when his left front tire blew. Justice drove off the left side of the highway, crossed the median and overturned. Justice was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger was identified as Terry Downey, 47, of Dayton is in serious conditon at Miami...

Thomas Jeff Black, Jacksonville Florida

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:18:41 PST

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- One by one, the tow trucks pulled into a tow lot on the Westside of Jacksonville.

One woman yelled above the roar of the engines, "We got almost 40 trucks coming out here today."

Tow truckers from dozens of Jacksonville wrecker companies gathered for one man, Thomas Jeff Black.

Black, 48, a long-time wrecker driver in Jacksonville, died last Thursday at his Middleburg home.

He was working underneath his van that was up on blocks.

******************** rest of story available below ***********************

link to story and comments on Footnotes blog

http://trfootnotesnews.blogspot.com/2009/04/well-respected-fl-wrecker-driver.html

link to news story and a video of the procession.

Richard Woodward of Rosedale Maryland dies when his tow truck rolled over.

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:47:18 PST

Man dies when wrecker crashes on Interstate 81

By Shawna Morrison | The Roanoke Times

Montgomery County -- A Maryland man was killed Monday afternoon when the truck he was driving crashed on Interstate 81 in Montgomery County, police said.

The crash happened just after 1 p.m. on northbound I-81 near mile marker 122, Virginia State Police Sgt. Rob Carpentieri said.

Richard Anthony Woodward, 63, of Rosedale, Md., apparently lost control of the 2001 Sterling rollback wrecker he was driving, Carpentieri said.

The truck went off the road into the median, and Woodward overcorrected and went off the right side of the road, where the truck struck the guardrail and overturned, Carpentieri said. Woodward was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected, Carpentieri said. He died at the scene.

Woodward was hauling a Mitsubishi sport utility...

Bob Swany, of Bloomfield Colorado

feeds@yuku.com (jerrys garage) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 08:57:38 PST

Bob Swany, past President of the Colorado Association passed away on Friday moring (3-27-09) funeral will be April 4th in Bloomfield, CO.
Bob was a long time tower and worker for the State Association.

Jerry

Repo man shot and killed in Jefferson Co. Birmingham Alabama

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 11:57:12 PST

Update: Repo man shot and killed in Jefferson Co.

NBC 13 HD News Staff
Published: January 8, 2009

A dangerous job ends in the death for one Birmingham area man.

According to Birmingham police, the brother of a car owner shot and killed a repo man while he was trying to take back a car.

28-year old Jason Lee McLendon was shot in the back of head around 2 o'clock this morning near the 1900 block of 20th Street North.

Police said McLendon and his partner were about to repossess a Cadillac sedan.

As they backed up their tow truck, the car's owner came out to ask what was going on and told McLendon he just made a payment.

Police said that's when the owner's brother came out with a rifle.

McLendon and his partner got into their truck and drove away.

But police said...

Garrison New York Towing Business Owner Found Fatally Shot

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:49:33 PST

NY Towing Business Owner Found Fatally Shot
1/2/2009, 7:39 p.m. EST
The Associated Press

GARRISON, N.Y. (AP) - A police checkpoint has been set up in the Putnam county hamlet of Garrison, so investigators can ask passing drivers about the slaying of a local business owner.
Authorities say the body of 49-year-old John Marcinak was found on the side of Route 9 early Wednesday in front of the Garrison Garage, his towing business.
First responders initially thought Marcinak had been struck by a car. But doctors at a local hospital said Marcinak had been shot.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said Marcinak was last seen returning to his garage from northern Westchester County, where he had towed a car involved in an accident.
Investigators say the victim, a married father of three, was an upstanding member of the community.
___
Information from: The Journal News,

Tow truck driver "Timothy Schroeder" killed by big rig on Highway 99 (California)

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:54:06 PST

Tow truck driver killed by big rig on Highway 99

CHP officers were arresting a D.U.I. suspect when they witnessed the death

By VICTOR A. PATTON
vpatton@mercedsun-star.com
A 46-year-old tow truck driver was killed on Highway 99 on Saturday, after being struck by a big rig, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The CHP has not released the name of the man, who lived in Atwater, and the death is the second for a local tow truck company in less than two weeks.
CHP spokesman Shane Ferriera said the victim was killed shortly before 1 a.m., not long after he had been dispatched to tow away a car on southbound Highway 99, north of Campus Parkway.
Ferriera said the CHP had requested a tow truck after arresting Alfredo Hernadez, 47, of Escalon, on suspicion of driving under the influence.
The tow truck driver responded to the scene and began hooking up the wheels of Hernandez's Ford Taurus.
Meanwhile, the big rig, driven by...

Richard "MG" Scott, of Scott & Sons Towing Eugene Oregon has passed away..

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:26:24 PST

this is a former boss of mine, who I held in great respect... He was the kind of boss everyone wanted, as he cared about his employees and he took the chance on me and got me started in heavy duty towing... I was able to go to him with problems anytime even 15 years after I worked for him, He was always there for me... I will miss him...

*******************************************

Richard M. G. Scott

1930-2008

Moving Tribute To St. Charles MO (ST.LOUIS) Tow Truck Driver

feeds@yuku.com (midriverstowing) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:12:17 PST

(KSDK) A long-time St. Charles business owner was remembered Saturday morning.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/gallery/photogallery.aspx?gid=143697
John Reasorhttp died this week after a battle with cancer.

Reasor, who owned Cardinal All Hour Towing, was known for always helping others. Many may remember Reasor for delivering tons of sandbags during the flood of 1993.

Saturday, in his memory, more than 70 tow truck drivers lined a service road in St. Charles to pay their respects. They then followed Reasor's funeral procession to Oak Grove Cemetery.
news and photos from www.ksdk.com
i worked a time or two with John and worked for him once and all i could say was wow when i heard the news of his passing. this man brought with him a great...

Tow-truckin' for Chuck Morehouse ( Tigard Oregon)

feeds@yuku.com (ibflat2) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 06:33:21 PST

Tow-truckin' for Chuck

A tow-truck procession to a memorial service honors Chuck Morehouse, owner of Nine-T-Nine, Buck's and Eagle towing companies

By Barbara Sherman

The Times, Jan 31, 2008

Jaime Valdez / The Times

HONORING ONE OF THE BEST

Tigard police lead a caravan of 38 tow trucks along Main...

Memorials to Fallen Towers