TowNews

Tow truck operators ask you to watch them, move over after death of Timothy Williams SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Two men from Springfield want you to pay attention to the road the entire time you're driving. They know their lives depend on it. Those men spoke with us just days after a fellow tow truck driver was hit and killed while working on U.S. 65. It's a risky job, and what they're saying is: move over. It seems to be a simple thing to do, but they say too many people have other things on their minds when they're behind the wheel. Terry Harden is just like you. He knows drivers can have a lot on their minds... "I gotta get my daughter picked up from school," he began. "I gotta get my pizza home to the family, I gotta get to the grocery store to get whatever, I gotta talk on my telephone to my boyfriend, text my girlfriend." But Harden knows unlike many of us, his job puts him right in those distracted drivers' paths. "We lose one tow truck driver every six days," he said. That nationwide statistic took on a personal level Friday night north of Springfield. Fellow tow truck driver Timothy Williams was hit and killed while working along Highway 65. Williams would've turned 56 Saturday. RESOURCE LINK with video

DFW SCANNER GROUP reports: Major accident with entrapment (Haltom City) Fort Worth is working a major accident on the 4300 block of west bound NE loop 820 just past Haltom Rd. PD on scene reports a wrecker driver was working to load an abandoned RV up and was under the vehicle when it was hit by another car. The tow truck driver is trapped under the vehicle and FW is working to get him out safely. There are few details at this point other than the Tow Truck Operator did survive. He suffered both legs being broken and numerous bruises. More details will be added when they become available. If anyone can provide more information please fill us in and we will wait to see if the is a news report prior to releasing the company name. Towing Company has been named: Silverstar Heavy Towing & Truck Repair UPDATE: DFW Scanner FB page. The Move Over Slow Down Law applies to tow trucks, too! The law states motorists must move over a lane, or slow to 20MPH under the posted speed limit, when passing an emergency scene on the highway. This tow truck driver was injured and sent to the hospital after this driver struck his tow truck. Barry Metzing of Silverstar Heavy Towing reported on the DFW Scanner page. Silverstar Wrecker Svc just ask for prayers at this time. He is doing fine just has alot of injuries. It's very hard for me because it was my manager and my right had man to the company. From what we know his pelvic bone is busted also shattered kneecap possibly broken foot. 16 Staples in his head.

VIDEO only available on News Channel Website. MARATHON COUNTY, Wis. (WSAW) -- A towing ban is in effect in Marathon County Sunday, which means no cars can be towed out of the ditch unless it's approved by the sheriff's department. Local towing company Joe Rader Towing says, if you do see a crash scene with first responders and tows, it's crucial to move over a lane and slow down. "We're on the side of the road trying to do our job, and they're not slowing down at all, so it's a big safety concern," said Joe Rader. The sheriff's department issues a towing ban to companies like Joe Rader towing for the safety of tow truck drivers. "The cars that are not blocking traffic will remain in the ditch until Marathon County deems it safe for us and them to be out on the roads," he said. It's only lifted once law enforcement decides it is safe again. "It's so much safer with the tow ban, to let us do our job in a timely fashion, when the snow isn't blowing so hard," he said. Rader says the most important thing drivers need to do is move over and slow down when approaching the scene of an accident. "The biggest thing is people not paying attention, inattentive driving, is the biggest thing, and speed, obviously,” he said, noting that distractions like a phone often cause unsafe driving. Once that towing ban is lifted, the sheriff’s department will have a list of cars that need to be pulled out, and they’ll let Joe Rader know so they can get to work. RESOURCE LINK with video

There are few details other than the the driver of this AAA Service Truck pictured was struck Sunday night. The Roadservice Unit was changing a tire on I-84 in Portland. A Chev. Suburban traveling 60mph struck the truck. The Roadservice tech was not injured. Please TowFirst do not put tow operators or roadservice techs in this position. AAA and All Motor Clubs need to step up, take responsibility or at least take the responsible action an pay to move the vehicle to a safe location or refuse to change tires on the highway/interstate and require the vehicle be towed to a repair facility. There has to be a responsible answer or this will only continue!

02.09.20: CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – State Police blocked part of Exit 3 on I-391 in Chicopee as they investigated a crash early Sunday morning. The road has since reopened. A 22News crew in the area at the time of the investigation around 5:30 a.m. saw at least four State Police cruisers surrounding a white car near the right lane off-ramp of Exit 3 on 391 in Chicopee. Investigators could be seen looking around the area of the crash and a tow truck can also be seen parked nearby. It is currently unknown if anyone was seriously hurt or how many people or cars were involved in the crash. RESOURCE LINK with video

After seven first responders were killed on roadways in the first 2 weeks of 2020, the key is education, awareness, constant reinforcement and stronger legislation of the “Move Over” message Read the Entire Article Here: RESOURCE LINK

UPDATE: Affordable Towing says Timothy J. Williams was out on the job last night when he was fatally struck by a driver near Springfield. NEAR SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A tow truck driver was struck and killed Friday night on U.S. Highway 65. Timothy J. Williams, 55, an employee with Affordable Towing, was out on the job when he was fatally struck by a driver. Williams, who lived in Springfield, would have celebrated his birthday Saturday, according to a spokesperson from Affordable Towing. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says the crash happened a few miles north of Springfield near Bluegrass Road around 9 p.m. According to the Highway Patrol, a driver, identified as 27-year-old Christopher Rice, traveled off the roadway and reportedly struck Williams while he was standing next to another vehicle. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports 10 people have died from crashes this year in Troop D's service area, which covers most of southwest Missouri. This is a developing story. Watch KY3 News at 6, 9 and 10 for more information on the crash. RESOURCE LINK REPORTS HAVE BEEN COMING IN ALL MORNING: Pedestrian struck, killed on U.S. 65 north of Springfield NEAR SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A pedestrian was struck and killed Friday night on Highway 65. The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it happened a few miles north of Springfield near Bluegrass Road around 9 p.m. The victim was identified as Timothy J. Williams, 55, of Springfield. According to the Highway Patrol, a driver, identified as 27-year-old Christopher Rice, traveled off the roadway and struck s pedestrian standing next to another vehicle. RESOURCE LINK 55-year-old Missouri man dies in pedestrian accident GREENE COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 8p.m. Friday in Greene County. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Christopher J. Rice, 27, Buffalo, Mo., was northbound on U.S. 65 three miles north of Springfield. The vehicle traveled off the road and struck a pedestrian identified as Timothy J. Williams, 55, Springfield, who was standing next a 2018 Ram 5500. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Greene County Medical Examiner's office. As required by law, the driver was tested for alcohol. Authorities released no additional details late Friday. RESOURCE LINK Trucks Process in Vigil for Local Truck Driver Late Saturday night, dozens of tow trucks flashed their lights in procession from Freedom City Church to the Battlefield Mall in memory of Timothy J. Williams. Williams was struck and killed while on the job Friday night, just north of Springfield. He was a driver for Affordable Towing and lived in Springfield. He would have turned 56 on Saturday. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Williams was helping a car stuck on highway 65 just north of Springfield when a driver swerved off the road and hit him. RESOURCE LINK

Pennsylvania State Police are seeking stolen Day Cab Tractor and a Sliding Axle Trailer. This was reported stolen from Button Road in Springville Township in Susquehanna County. The red, 2005 Freightliner tractor towing a black flatbed Landoll trailer has “Summit Core Supply Heavy Duty Truck Parts” in chrome lettering on both its doors.

One dead, two injured in head-on crash with tow truck Police: car and tow truck collided on Highway 16 CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — Police say one person is dead, and two others have been taken to the hospital, after a head-on crash involving a car and a tow truck Wednesday evening on Highway 16, near Firebird Raceway. The Ada County Sheriff's Office says it was the male driver of the car involved who died, and his passengers who were taken to the hospital by paramedics. Authorities say the tow truck driver was not seriously injured. The crash closed Highway 16 in both directions Wednesday evening. RESOURCE LINK UPDATE: Coroner identifies Emmett man killed in Highway 16 crash ADA COUNTY — The Ada County Coroner's Office has identified an Emmett resident as the man who died in a Wednesday night crash on Highway 16. William "Bill" Fuller, 42, was pronounced dead about 7:30 p.m. on the scene of the crash, which occurred near West Colton Lane, according to a news release from the office. The Ada County Sheriff's Office tweeted just after 6:30 p.m. that the head-on collision had occurred, and it involved a car and a tow truck. Fuller was driving the car that collided with the tow truck. Although first responders took both drivers to the hospital, the driver of the tow truck did not appear to have serious injuries, according to subsequent tweets from the sheriff’s office. RESOURCE LINK

BERLIN, Md. – Officials say one person was killed in an early morning crash in Berlin. Berlin Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision on Route 113 southbound at Route 818 at around 7 a.m. Thursday. Further investigation revealed that a Chevy S10 was crossing Route 113 and Route 818 when it collided with a Freightliner rollback tow truck, which was traveling south on Route 113. The driver of the Chevy, identified as 73-year-old Johnie Derrickson of Parsonsburg, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the tow truck, 58-year-old Robert Kressman from New York, was not injured in the crash. The crash remains under investigation by the Berlin Police Department, with the assistance of the Maryland State Police and Worcester County Sheriff’s Office. The highway was closed for approximately four and a half hours. RESOURCE LINK

KOCO 5 spoke with tow truck drivers during a busy snow day in Oklahoma City. They said they hope drivers learn from other people’s mistakes and stay off the roads. Watch the video player in link for the full story. https://www.koco.com/article/tow-truck-drivers-work-around-the-clock-to-help-drivers-stuck-in-snow/30786287 First responders help with hundreds of weather-related incidents across metro

A Kyle Shahan a driver with Buckeye Towing & Recovery writes, So, last night I had to make the call no Driver wants to make and the call no owner wants to take. to inform Sara Duncan King and ZJ Larimore that the truck was hit on the scene of a call on the interstate. Both I and the folks who hit me are VERY LUCKY there were no injuries. Metal can be replaced, but people can not. PLEASE everyone when you see our Ambers, pay attention, give us room to work. Not just because it's the law, but so we can come in the same way we went out.

FHP trooper, gunman killed in police-involved shooting on I-95 near Stuart Note: It is unclear if the Tow Truck was on scene at the time of the incident. Though, one would expect that would be the case as the suspect which was killed was said to be near the tow truck. In the images which are shown you can see the rollback bed is down. The covered troopers body is visible, We suspect the suspects body was still on scene as well. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper and another man were killed along Interstate 95 near Stuart in what authorities described as a police-involved fatal shooting just north of Palm Beach in Martin County, at around 11:30 a.m., Wednesday. “Trooper Bullock was assisting a disabled vehicle on I-95 northbound near mile marker 107, just south of Martin Highway, when the suspect who was with the disabled vehicle shot him, resulting in fatal injuries,” said Spaulding. Officials said an off-duty Riviera Police officer who was driving by at the moment stopped and fatally shot the subject. The Martin County Sheriff’s Department shut down both north and southbound lanes at mile marker 107. It was reopened to traffic at around 5:45 p.m. MCSO: Man who shot and killed FHP trooper identified as Franklin Reed III

SWAT Scene Unfolding In Connection To Shooting Involving Wrecker Driver Spring, Texas – The Harris County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team has been called to an apartment in the 21600 block of Spring Plaza where police say a man is barricaded inside of an apartment. Officials say the man inside of the apartment is possibly connected to this morning’s shooting which injured a wrecker driver. The original incident happened around 7:00 AM near the intersection of Spring Stuebner and Spring Plaza Drive. According to Sheriff Ed Gonzales, a wrecker driver was shot in the chest while driving down Spring Stuebner and then crashed into the ditch. The wrecker driver was transported to a local hospital and is being stabilized. The Sheriff says he is in ‘guarded’ condition. According to reports by KPRC, the wrecker driver was identified as Pozzie Cowart Jr. who works as a repo driver for Coast to Coast Motors. HCSO urges residents to avoid the area. An active SWAT scene is underway. Check back for updates. RESOURCE LINK

POUGHKEEPSIE – On Monday night the Common Council took the first step in overhauling the city’s towing ordinances. The section of the existing law governed the towing or booting of vehicles “improperly parked on private property” which refers to cars parked on private property without the consent of the property owner. There are exemptions that include a car that has been on private property for more than 24 hours, a vehicle on private property that blocks a driveway, a vehicle interfering with garbage or refuse collection, one that interferes with snow removal, or one that interferes with construction (provided a 24-hour notice was given). Under the existing law, according to Councilman Chris Petsas, tow operators were using loopholes in the law “to come up with any price they want when they tow a car under those circumstances.” Petsas continued to lobby for the support of his colleagues on the bill, saying “Right now we have people coming into Poughkeepsie being ripped off because we are not regulating these exemptions.” The changes put forth by Petsas set the rates for the exemptions and put forth a standardized fee schedule. The Petsas law would set the fees at $60 for a tow plus a hook-up fee of $25 plus any and all applicable taxes and a fee of $125 plus a $25 hook-up fee, plus taxes for vehicles towed under the exemptions in the law. The law also requires that a $50 storage fee cannot be charged by the tow company until the vehicle has been in their possession for 24 hours. Councilmember Yvonne Flowers applauded the storage amendment saying “Right now, a tow company starts charging $50 storage fees as soon as he brings the car to his storage yard.” Mayor Rolison told the council that the proposed legislation is “Step one of a complete review of all towing ordinances and how they impact the city.” Councilmember McNamara agreed with Rolison and added “I think that enforcement should be the second step and I also think that regulating the fee structure between private tow companies and the city needs to be addressed. We need to charge the same across the board. Either private comes down or the city goes up.” The proposed changes passed the council unanimously and have drawn critical responses from two towing operators; Bobby’s Towing and Countywide Towing. Bobby Scores, the owner of Bobby’s Towing decried the storage fee regulation saying “I still have to pay property taxes on my storage yard. Is the city going to reduce my tax bill for providing free storage? I doubt it.” The city law also says that tow operators have to wait a period of twenty minutes before towing a car from private property. “The city parking enforcement guys don’t wait twenty minutes before writing a parking ticket – why should we have to wait?” Jules Lee, proprietor of Countywide Towing, is upset with the fee structure as well. “The towing price of $85 isn’t going to work. If the towed the vehicle isn’t redeemed, a lien search has to completed along with DMV Search and this all costs money and time trying to track down the owner of the vehicle.” Lee also indicated that the changes would have a negative impact on her livelihood. “I have the truck insurance, the payroll, the maintenance of the trucks, the fuel, workman’s compensation, and any additional expenses that may occur. The City isn’t taking any of these expenses into consideration.” Corporation Counsel Paul Ackerman said that, under the revised law passed on Monday night, if a vehicle owner is charged a fee not in compliance with the ordinance, and they can prove it, the tow operator can be charged with a crime. Ackerman noted that those charged erroneously need to bring the proof to the police department and file a complaint. RESOURCE LINK

Tow Truck Driver Cited in Harrisonburg, Virginia The driver was cited because of trying to tow a bus that was too heavy. According to Harrisonburg Police, the driver of the tow truck came to the Harrisonburg area to pick up the bus from North Carolina, However, the bus was too heavy for his truck. Because the bus was too large, police said it put the bus in a bind and caused damage leading to an anti-freeze leak. Local police and firefighters responded to a parking lot near Harrisonburg's Valley Mall where the tow truck came to a stop. A police spokesman said a DOT inspection was performed on his truck by a motor officer. https://www.whsv.com/video?vid=567575042

While Driving, Do I Need to Yield to Tow Trucks With Amber (Not Red or Blue) Flashers? Just happened; the driver tailgated me and flipped me off at the next light, which he then ran. While driving, do I need to yield to tow trucks with amber (not red or blue) flashers? Just happened; the driver tailgated me and flipped me off at the next light, which he then ran. Dude, you’re not a cop, ambulance or fire truck; fuck you too. —AAA Member, Not AA It was surprisingly difficult to find an answer to your question. I first called Don Hamilton at the Portland office of the Oregon Department of Transportation. “You mean the ‘move over’ law?” asked Don, referring to the law requiring freeway traffic to give a wide berth to emergency vehicles (expanded in 2018 to include tow trucks) on the shoulder. I explained that I didn’t, and he advised me to try Shelley Snow, a Salem spokesperson for the agency, with more hit points. “Are you talking about the ‘move over’ law?” asked Snow. (The state had clearly stocked up on “move over” answers back in 2018, and they were priced to move.) After I clarified, she admitted she didn’t have an answer either, but would try to find someone who did. As I wondered what form the final boss of this somewhat low-action quest might take, it occurred to me that any rule of the Oregon road that was news to ODOT had a major publicity problem. If a seasoned (or at least pickled) reporter couldn’t track it down, what hope was there for the average motorist? I’ll spare you the suspense: There is no law that requires you to pull over for, or otherwise yield to, a tow truck, even one with flashing amber lights. (Though I should stress you still need to give a wide berth to emergency vehicles on the freeway shoulder.) According to Snow, those lights serve the same purpose as the flashing amber lights that accompany a double-wide trailer being towed down the highway: They warn you there’s a large, unwieldy obstacle in the vicinity, so you should exercise caution. In fact, tow trucks aren’t even allowed to use their flashers unless they have a car in tow, so the driver in your scenario is an asshole twice over—three times if you count the fact that he was probably on his way to a predatory tow, the bastard. RESOURCE LINK

‘Perfect timing.’ Tow truck driver stops would-be-thief from stealing stalled vehicle on interstate LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Every day is new and different for tow truck drivers. That was deemed true on Sunday for driver Jerry Cantrell. Cantrell, owner and operator of Jerry’s Towing and Roadside Assistance out of Morehead, was responding to a request to pick up a stalled vehicle on I-75 in Lexington when he quickly discovered he wasn’t the only one with plans to load the car. Dash cam video from Jerry’s tow truck captured the moments he says another man was attempting to load the stalled vehicle on his own trailer. “Just the way the guy was backed up to it, you knew he was about to take it,” said Cantrell. Cantrell says the man had a winch on his trailer that could have easily drug the vehicle onto the bed. When confronted, Cantrell says he claimed his truck was broke down but quickly sped off after he told him to move out of the way. “It’s one of those things you are going to go and hope it is still there,” said Cantrell. “By the grace of God we got there just in time. It was perfect timing.” Cantrell says the owner of the vehicle had abandoned it the night before. RESOURCE LINK with video

104.3 KCY Country - Harrisonburg, Virginia So this is happening outside the station! This video was posted on the stations Facebook page.

LAFAYETTE — Skid marks a few yards from the back of Robert Carley's tow truck hinted at the first time then 18-year-old Yariel Butler noticed the stopped wrecker in her path, according to testimony Tuesday morning. Butler, now 20 years old, is charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and one count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury. She admitted to police she was the driver who struck Kimberly Massey McDole, William Eric Peacock and tow truck driver Robert Carley about 4:30 a.m. Aug. 1, 2018, according to opening statements on Monday. Butler's statements to police after her arrest on Aug. 3, 2018, are scheduled to be played for the jurors on Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday morning, Tippecanoe County sheriff's Capt. Rob Hainje testified for two hours, reconstructing the accident for jurors in Butler's trial in Tippecanoe Superior 2. Under ideal conditions, it takes the typical driver 1.6 seconds to react after a hazard is perceived, Hainje testified. Weather conditions, such as fog, can make that response even longer. On that foggy August morning, Butler got off work at NHK in Frankfort at 4:11 a.m. and headed towards her Lafayette home via U.S. 52. As she approached the north junction with Indiana 28, Butler apparently didn't noticed the stopped tow truck facing north in the right northbound lane until she was about 120 feet from the back of it, Hainje testified, estimating the reaction time from the first skid marks. That's if she was going 60 mph — the posted speed limit — Hainje said. Butler likely would have been between 90 and 100 feet from the back of the truck before slamming on the brakes if she was driving at a slower speed, Hainje testified. Earlier in the morning on Aug. 1, 2018, McDole was eastbound on Indiana 28 and missed the stop sign because of the fog. She drove through the intersection and into the cornfield on the east side of U.S. 52. She got a ride home, called a wrecker and asked Peacock to drive her back to the intersection to get her car, according to police investigations. The tow truck had just finished pulling McDole's car out of the cornfield, Carley testified Monday. Carley drove McDole's wrecked car to a gravel yard on the northwest corner of the intersection, then walked back to the tow truck to finish up the paperwork, he said. He, McDole and Peacock were standing on the passenger side of the truck in the back when they were struck, Carley testified. Hainje testified about how Butler's black and gold Ford Expedition missed the tow truck. But the SUV hit McDole, Peacock and Carley, prosecutors said. Hainje said the damage to Butler's Ford Expedition was to the front of the SUV on the driver's side, including its headlight, as well as to the driver's side mirror, which broke off and was found at the scene. Tracks in the weeds and skid marks on the pavement indicate Butler drove off the road, struck McDole, Peacock and Carley, who were on the passenger side of the car, Hainje testified. Peacock was thrown a few yards in front of the truck tow truck, and McDole was knocked even further, Hainje testified as he pointed out where the two had been found based on the medical supplies littering the road. Butler continued northbound in the ditch, and it appeared she accelerated, churning up weeds and mud as she steered back onto the road about 150 feet north of the accident site, according to Hainje's testimony. One of Butler's attorneys, Lakeisha Chantay Murdaugh, said in opening statements that Butler didn't stop after the accident because she believed she'd been sideswiped by a southbound car driving in the northbound lanes. Russell Brown, Butler's other attorney, showed Hainje a photo of the tow truck taken at the scene before the sun rose. In the foggy haze, the truck's two white working lights in the rear bumper looked like headlights of an oncoming car, Hainje confirmed when Brown asked. In her opening statement, Murdaugh said that when Butler drove out of the ditch, she looked in her rearview mirror and didn't see any vehicles, so she continued to drive home. But Carley testified Monday that his tow truck's yellow flashing lights, as well as his truck's yellow and white wig-wag lights were all operating when they were struck, and photos taken about an hour after the crash showed headlights and police lights were visible at a distance. The sheriff's detective who interviewed Butler after her arrest is scheduled to testify Tuesday afternoon. This story will be updated after his testimony. RESOURCE LINK

RESOURCE LINK with video

Cops probing arson, gunplay in escalating tow truck turf war The tow truck turf war in the GTA continues to escalate. In the first three days of February, there were three incidents adding to the numerous previous cases where tow trucks were torched or fired upon. “We have certainly seen it happen in the past. We have ongoing work, with tow trucks in particular,” OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said Tuesday. OPP in Aurora are investigating a shooting that occurred on Saturday at 1:45 a.m. where a man and a woman in a stationary tow truck were shot at on the Steeles Ave. westbound ramp to Hwy. 404 northbound. Schmidt says the man was shot in the legs but the woman wasn’t struck. The man was treated in hospital and released. On Monday just after 7 a.m., York Regional Police were called to a parking lot in the area of 19th Ave. and Hwy. 404 for a tow truck fire that police say was “intentionally set.” They are looking for any dashcam video from anyone driving in the area at the time. Then on Tuesday shortly after 5 a.m., York cops were called to another intentionally set tow truck fire in the Hartwell Way and William Graham Dr. area of Aurora. There were no injuries. York Sgt. Andy Pattenden says the shootings and arson are an ongoing issue. “There are a lot. It’s not just in York, it’s right across the GTA,” Pattenden said, adding, “I don’t have a formal comment on the incidents. We have to treat each one individually. Numerous tow trucks have been set ablaze from Peel to Durham in the last eight months. RESOURCE LINK

York Region police are looking for witnesses following tow truck fires in Markham and Aurora, the latest in a growing list of similar disturbing incidents. On Tuesday at about 5 a.m., a tow truck was discovered on fire on Hartwell Way, just west of William Graham Drive, near St. John’s Sideroad and Leslie Street in Aurora, Sgt. Andy Pattenden said. Police believe the fire was intentionally set. There were no physical injuries. The investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have witnessed anything suspicious is asked to come forward. Anyone with information is asked to contact the No. 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7142. Meanwhile, on Monday at about 7 a.m., a tow truck was found on fire in a parking lot in the area of 19th Avenue and Hwy. 404 in Markham, Pattenden said. Police believe the fire, which was extinguished by Markham firefighters, was deliberately set, he said. RESOURCE LINK

As a tow truck driver for Sunset Towing, Ray Proctor has to be prepared for any situation on the road. Recently, Proctor had a customer who needed his help in a way he had never imagined. On Jan. 17, Emily Watkins, of Knoxville, was running errands in Morristown for her mother when she needed a tire changed on her car. She was late in her term, but Emily wasn’t expecting to deliver for another week. “At the time, I was driving to my mother’s house to drop off some medicine for her,” Watkins said. “This is the first for me, I’ve been driving for six months,” Proctor said. “It all started as a tire change. After I was done with the tire change, she said that her water broke and that she was having contractions.” Proctor knew he had to get into action. And fast. “I told her, ‘Why don’t you get inside my SUV and we can take you to the hospital?’ I knew we could be there faster than EMS could get there,” he said. Proctor and Watkins proceeded to Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System and arrived at the emergency room entrance in three minutes. “I told the staff that I had a lady who was giving birth,” Proctor said. “They brought a wheelchair and escorted her upstairs to the birthing center.” When Proctor got parked, he joined Watkins in the birthing center. “She was upset because she couldn’t get hold of her husband,” Proctor said. “(My husband) was in Knoxville at the time and it worried me there for a little bit and was somewhat stressful,” Watkins said. Proctor called Watkins’ husband, Darren, who has worked for Denark Construction for the last five years. “I called him on my phone. I told him what was happening. He was in Knoxville and said he would leave immediately. I offered to stay with Emily until he got there.” Proctor stayed with Watkins until Darren got there. An hour after the husband came to the hospital, Watkins gave birth to a baby boy. They named the boy David Ray Watkins, the Ray after the tow driver who gave assistance. Meanwhile, Proctor had to get back to work on towing calls. The proud mother has goals for little David Ray. “I want David to grow up and reach for the stars,” Emily said. “I would also like for him to learn and show the same compassion like that driver did without question or hesitation.” The kindness shown to Emily has not gone unnoticed. “I would like to say thanks to Sunset Towing for having great drivers who are willing to go beyond the call of duty,” Emily said. The Watkins’ have invited Proctor and his family to a gathering soon where all will meet. “He said that he’d love to come because my family wants to meet him,” Emily said Junior Tipton, owner of Sunset Towing, was appreciative of Proctor’s actions. “I think it’s a good deal when one of my drivers goes above and beyond to help someone like that,” he said. “Ray did a really good job staying and taking care of her. Most towers wouldn’t do that. We have several good companies in Morristown. I would think they would also step up if they were in the same situation. “Ray is doing a really good job. I’m so proud of him over here,” Tipton said. RESOURCE LINK