Tower Down - 05.27.21 (TX)

[TowNews]

Tow Truck Driver Dead after Hit and Run on SPID

 

Shortly after 12 a.m. Thursday police were dispatched to a vehicle accident on the 6500 block of South Padre Island Drive between Airline and Nile Drive.

 

When paramedics arrived they found a man 50 to 70 feet away from a tow truck that had been stuck by another vehicle and had failed to render aid. According to a witness who worked across the street from where the accident occurred mentioned that a tow truck had been struck by the unknown vehicle.

 

The tow truck driver was exiting out of the tow truck on the right side shoulder lane going eastbound on SPID when the unknown vehicle side swiped the left side of the tow truck striking the 40 year old man who was working for Momento Towing LLC.

 

The witness says to the Crónica that it took police and paramedics 10 minutes to find the man’s body near the access road. A description of the vehicle or driver that had struck the tow truck driver has not been released by police. The tow truck driver was pronounced dead on the scene and was believed to be dead at impact.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

A Post by Todd Leiss:

On Thursday, May 22, 2021, the 22nd United States Emergency Responder of 2021, a tow truck operator from Momento Towing was struck & killed in a hit & run accident in Corpus Christi, TX;

 

There have been 22 emergency responder struck-by deaths in the first 146 days of 2021, this number does not include Officer Jeremy Brinton, Nogales PD who was struck & killed while working an overtime detail in a work zone less than a week ago, on Friday, May 21st.

 

So far in 2021, 12 law enforcement officers, 8 tow truck operators, 1 fire police officer, and 1 safety service patrol operator have been struck & killed while helping others. In 2020, 46 emergency responders were struck & killed, in 2019, 44 emergency responders were struck & killed.

 

UPDATED: 05.28.21

Police searching for driver who left scene that killed tow truck operator

 

The Corpus Christi Police Department is searching for a driver that left the scene of a deadly crash that left a tow truck operator dead on South Padre Island Drive Thursday morning.

 

The crash happened shortly after 2 a.m. Thursday on the eastbound side of 6500 block of South Padre Island Drive near Airline Drive.

 

 

A maroon Hyndaui Sonata was found at the Sugar Tree Apartments around 12:30 pm after police were dispatched to the apartment complex after someone found human matter on the damaged front end of the Sonata.

 

Corpus Christi Police are currently knocking on doors asking for residents who may have seen the driver on cameras and one resident believes that the vehicle belongs to another residents boyfriend in the complex.

 

Tow Truck Operator killed in deadly crash identified

 

The tow truck operator was side-swiped by a vehicle that fled the scene and police had to shut down the freeway as investigators went over evidence. Police found a purple side view mirror left at the scene. A witness said the tow truck operator died on impact.

 

The tow truck operator has been identified as 40 year old Zachary Starbuck. He was working for Momento Towing LLC and was on the job recovering a vehicle on the emergency lane of SPID.

 

 

Management of the Sugar Tree Apartments have denied access to the Corpus Christi Crónica to gather more information of the drivers whereabouts.

 

This is a developing story and we will provide you with more information as it comes in.

 

RESOURCE LINK

[hookrite]

R I P BROTHER..................THOUGHTS WITH HIS FAMILY

[5towman]

Very sad . My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. 

[mooresbp]

Our thoughts and prayers

[fenderbendr6]

Condolences to the family.

[Jess]

So VERY Sad! My prayers for his family, friends, and fellow brothers and sisters he worked with!

 

I also pray that the coward that struck him, and could have saved him by stopping and rendering aid, comes forward or is found soon!

[auto rescue]

 

1 minute ago, auto rescue said:

My Condolences to the operators family

 

[Steve Catlett]

It seems that almost daily we have another tragedy with a Towman killed or a safety personnel killed what is wrong with these people with no value for our lives rest in peace my Tow man friend

[Moose]

I just don't know what to say anymore, Hot & Run only compounds the grief of this tragic loss of a tow operators life.

[yoBdaBenO]

Our thought's and Prayers Go Out to the Friends & Family. Such a tragic loss, do we know if they caught the boyfriend of the cars owner yet. That appear to be some major damage from the angle of the picture. Wonder who towed to this hit & run vehicle.