Tower Down - 09.17.20 (GA) "Last Ride Video Link Added"

[TowZone]

Crash on I-20 kills tow truck driver

 

A tow truck driver was killed this morning on Interstate 20 in McDuffie County at the site of an earlier accident.

 

The first crash in the early morning blocked a lane of eastbound Interstate 20 at Cobham Road. A tow truck driver was attempting to load a vehicle after that crash and was was struck by another.

 

The vehicle that struck the driver left the scene and Georgia State Patrol troopers were attempting to locate it.

 

The Georgia Department of Transportation reported that a lane of the interstate was closed for a time due to that crash.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

Updated:

 

© Provided by Augusta-Aiken WRDW-TV

A family of a tow truck driver says he was the sole victim in a hit-and-run incident on Interstate 20 Thursday morning.

 

‘Just please move over’ Family of tow truck driver grieves after fatal hit-and-run

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A family is heartbroken after a father of four was killed Thursday morning in a hit-and-run incident on Interstate 20.

The accident happened on I-20 at Cobham Road in McDuffie County. The sole victim, Jason Willis, leaves behind a wife and several young children, one of whom passed away to SIDS last year.

Willis' wife, Victoria, says she knew something was off when she woke up this morning. Jason hadn’t come home from work, and she had gotten worried.

“I texted him and asked him what he was doing, just to see if he responded. But he didn’t respond,” Victoria said.

That’s when she immediately knew something was wrong.

“I tracked his phone to the side of the interstate where I met the coroner. Instantly when you meet a coroner, you know someone’s not walking away. I knew it was my husband,” she said.

When Willis' family arrived at the scene, the coroner confirmed what Victoria feared.

“Me and my kids sat on the side of the road for a little while,” she said.

Georgia State Patrol says Jason was loading up a car when he was killed. Victoria says that’s something she’s always worried about.

She works with Jason at Wayne’s Towing, and has seen too many close calls while out on the road with him.

“That’s scary to know that someone almost hits your husband and then one morning you wake up to find out somebody did hit your husband, and they did not stop,” she said.

Victoria says he was a compassionate man who would’ve given the shirt off his back. She says he loved his job and took pride in being a first responder, even though not everyone thinks of tow truck drivers that way.

“They’re helping your family or you to make sure you get to tell your kids goodnight, to feed your baby, to make sure you get home to your wife and your husband,” Victoria said.

And she has a simple plea for anyone who sees a tow truck on the side of the road.

“Just please move over. Those are somebody’s parents. Those are somebody’s kids. And now my kids have to grow up without their father,” she said.

Georgia Highway Patrol is still searching for the suspect in this hit-and-run. If you have any information about the incident, call their office at (404) 624-7451.

RESOURCE LINK with video

ADDED:

An Aiken tow truck driver was involved in a fatal crash Thursday morning on Interstate 20 East in McDuffie County, Georgia.

 

Eugene Jennings Willis III, 31, was attempting to load a vehicle on the south shoulder of the roadway by mile marker 177 around 5:45 a.m. when a vehicle crossed the fog line and struck Willis, according to Lt. Stephanie Stallings with the Georgia State Patrol.

 

The suspect vehicle then fled the scene and there is no information on the hit and-run vehicle at this time, Stallings said.

 

The investigation is ongoing by troopers of Post 25-Grovetown and members of Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team E.

 

Willis, also known as Jason, worked at Wayne’s Automotive and Towing Center in Aiken.

 

Social media comments came pouring in on Thursday in memory of Willis.

A post in memory of Willis had over 300 comments, with many sending prayers and love to the family.

One comment read, “What an amazing man is was. He was a super hard worker. He will be missed dearly. Prayers for his family and yours.”

 

Another said, “I’m heartbroken to hear this news! keeping all of y’all in my thoughts. can’t believe this happened. he didn’t deserve this.”

 

A GoFundMe page has been set up for his family at https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-of-jason-willis.

RESOURCE LINK

Wayne's Towing Recovery & Transport Facebook Page

https://www.facebook.com/WaynesTowingRecoveryHauling

Eugene "Jason" Jennings Willis, III

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, September 21, 2020 at New Spring Church, Aiken Campus, with Pastor Matt Steelman officiating.  Interment will be private.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a mask will be required at the service.  The service will be livestreamed on the Shellhouse Funeral Home Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/srfhandsfh).

 

Additional Obit Information can be found here:

www.shellhousefuneralhome.com/obituary/eugene-jason-willis-iii

 

A GoFundMe page can be found at:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-of-jason-willis

At this time nearly $10,000 has been raised. Almost twice the original goal.

 

[Old Tow]

We at Rick's Towing send our prayers and condolences to his family, and his co-workers.

[mushspeed]

Our thoughts and prayers go out Jason's whole family and our sincere condolences ...

 

from your fellow towers in the UK...

 

Rest in Peace Dude...

 

John.

[Doreen ur Finance Lady]

I can't stop crying for his family. Those beautiful kids lost there father due to someone not paying attention to the road. I pray to God they find the person who did this.

sending sincere condolences and prayers for Jason's family, friends and co-workers.

[Moose]

I have to say the video in the news story really got to me. I could see one of our drivers family going out to the scene.

 

SAD, Four Loving Children and a Wife who deeply cared for her entire family are now without a father and husband.

 

Does anyone know if they have apprehended the Hit & Run Driver?

[GRUMPS The Towman]

Rest easy Operator Willis, Your family is in my thoughts.

I pray they catch the Murderer who took this man from his family is caught quickly and Never sees the light of day again.

[TowZone]

https://www.wfxg.com/story/42653097/wife-of-tow-truck-driver-killed-in-hitandrun-speaks-with-fox-54

 

https://www.wfxg.com/clip/15136518/wife-of-tow-truck-driver-killed-in-hit-and-run-speaks-with-fox-54

 

Sorry, I couldn't get this you fast enough.

 

[TowZone]

LIVE NOW:

 

 

[mooresbp]

Our thoughts and prayers

[Moose]

Thanks for sharing the video Ron, I had to pull to the side of the road to watch it. Really touching to see such a turnout and likely the most I've see on a live by the end I think it reached 1.3K I can only guess the lives on Monday will draw even more. Please no more fallen tow operators this year. Actually, I continue to pray never another lose their life. But, that prayer has yet to be answered.

[Old Tow]

It will be answered one day in His time. We never know (in fact God's Word says ) "it is not for us to know", however in the 83 years of my time here on this old earth I have found out that God is never late, He is always on time ! His Time, so we must always be ready ! We pray for his family and friends. There is a Go Fund Me set up for him, PLEASE CONTRIBUTE AS THE LORD LEADS YOU TO,  .... AMEN? GOD BLESS Y'ALL.

Edited September 19, 2020 by Old Tow
Spelling

[TowZone]

Eugene "Jason" Jennings Willis, III

 

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, September 21, 2020 at New Spring Church, Aiken Campus, with Pastor Matt Steelman officiating.  Interment will be private.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a mask will be required at the service.  The service will be livestreamed on the Shellhouse Funeral Home Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/srfhandsfh).

 

Additional Obit Information can be found here:

www.shellhousefuneralhome.com/obituary/eugene-jason-willis-iii

 

A GoFundMe page can be found at:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-of-jason-willis

At this time nearly $10,000 has been raised. Almost twice the original goal.

 

 

 

[TowZone]

Two local tow truck companies show solidarity after deadly I-20 crash that killed two truck driver Jason Willis(WRDW)

 

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Tow truck drivers from both Georgia and South Carolina joined in to celebrate the life of a tow truck driver who was killed on I-20 earlier this week.

The caravan left from Atlanta, Georgia with nearly 40 tow trucks in participation. They traveled down I-20 back to Augusta and they plan on driving all the way up to Aiken.

Jason Willis was the driver and was killed Thursday morning on Interstate 20 in McDuffie County at the site of an earlier accident.

The first crash in the early morning blocked a lane of eastbound Interstate 20 at Cobham Road. Willis was attempting to load a vehicle after that crash and was was struck by another.

The vehicle that struck the driver left the scene and Georgia State Patrol troopers were attempting to locate it.

The investigation is still active at this time.

RESOURCE LINK

 

[TowZone]

Last Ride Link

https://www.facebook.com/WaynesTowingRecoveryHauling/videos/323529052252625