Daniel Coady, tow truck driver killed, remembered as beloved husband, father "Updated"

[TowZone]

The tow truck driver killed while responding to a crash on Interstate 495 will be laid to rest this week. 

Daniel Coady was a lifelong employee of his family's company, Coady's Garage and Towing. 

 

His favorite childhood memories were being in the cab of a truck with his father, Dan Sr., family wrote in his obituary.

 

"He loved being a tow truck driver as much as he loved being a father. He was a member of the Massachusetts Truckers Association," the obituary states. "When he wasn't working he was googling trucks, volunteering his time fishing abandoned cars out of the river for the Merrimack Valley Clean River Project, or could be found just hanging around the garage talking about towing."

 

The 41-year-old was a lifelong resident of North Andover. He is survived by his wife Crysi Coady, his sons Paddy and Evan; his sister, Nicole; brother-in-laws Jason Torrey and David Lemay; and stepmother Deborah Coady. 

 

He was hit while responding to a crash in the southbound lanes of Interstate 495 in Andover Wednesday night. In that initial crash, two vehicles collided and no one was injured, Massachusetts State Police said.

 

Coady was struck by a Pontiac while loading one of the vehicles onto his flatbed. 

 

He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared deceased. The driver of the vehicle that hit him, Shiina Dionne, was taken to Tufts Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries and another tow truck driver at the scene was treated for minor injuries. 

 

Dionne, a 28-year-old from Lawrence, was arraigned from her hospital bed Friday afternoon. She is charged with operating under the influence, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence, speeding, failure to wear a seatbelt and obstructing a stationary emergency vehicle. She was ordered held on $2,500 cash bail. 

 

Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, March 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Conte Funeral Home, 17 Third Street, North Andover. Relative and friends are kindly invited to attend his service at 10:30 a.m on Wednesday, March 21. 

 

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame, 3315 Broad St. Chattanooga, Tennessee.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

[rreschran]

Another constant reminder of the dangers of working the white-line side. We send our prayers to Coady's Garage as well as the entire Coady family.     R.

[TowZone]

Huge traffic jam delays travel around I-495/Route 114 area, as tow trucks assemble for funeral

A massive traffic jam caused by hundreds of tow trucks assembling for the funeral of Daniel Coady Jr. is causing problems for divers in the area around Interstate 495 and Route 114 near the Lawrence-North Andover line.

 

Traffic is backed Wednesday morning up on Route 114 from Merrimack College to the North Andover Mall, 350 Winthrop Ave., near the Lawrence-North Andover line. Traffic is also also backed up at the edge of the highway.

 

Police advised drivers to find other routes to avoid the area.

 

An illuminated roadside sign on I-495 directed drivers to take alternate routes, advising of a funeral staging area at Exit 42A to North Andover. Drivers using GPS devices were diverted to Mass. Avenue and other roads.

 

Another illuminated sign at CVS, 110 Turnpike St., notified drivers of a "First-Responder Funeral" and to expect delays from 10 a.m. to noon.

 

Between 300 to 500 tow truck drivers from all over New England, possibly New York and even the Midwest are expected to come to North Andover. They plan to park in the North Andover Mall parking lot at 350 Winthrop Ave. starting at 8 a.m., Lowell said.

 

The tow trucks are assembling as a show of respect and solidarity for Coady, 41, a tow truck driver for Coady's in Lawrence. He was killed last week while working on I-495 in Andover.

 

Daniel Coady was a longtime employee of Coady's. Owner Frank Coady is his uncle.

 

Lowell said originally tow truck drivers had hoped to participate in the funeral procession. However, with such large numbers attending a stationary gathering by the tow truck companies seemed to be a safer idea.

 

RESOURCE LINK

[TowZone]

Funeral of Daniel Coady Jr. includes reflections on his life, senseless death

NORTH ANDOVER — Hundreds of tow truck drivers, police and fire officials lined up outside of St. Michael's Church late Wednesday morning, as Daniel Coady Jr.'s funeral service began about 10:30 a.m.

 

Inside, pallbearers were dressed in all black, their shirts emblazoned with the words "Coady's towing.''

 

Dozens of relatives and friends somberly entered the church, where several people commented on Coady's life. Friends and Coady's towing employees spoke about the senselessness of his death.

 

They remembered Coady as a man who lived to help others. They also urged people to pay attention while driving.

 

"We're more than just tow truck drivers,'' said Gerry Cassidy, a friend of Coady's. "We're people too, and we have families we want to make it home to.'' 

About an hour after it began, the funeral wound down and the procession prepared to leave the church.

 

Coady's casket was carried outside and placed on a flat-bed truck, which led the procession away from the church.

 

A few miles away, hundreds of tow truck drivers from across the state were gathered at the North Andover Mall in a show of support for one of their own.

 

Coady, 41, a longtime tow truck driver for Coady's in Lawrence, was killed last week while responding to a call on Interstate 495 in Andover. The married father of two was attempting to load a disabled car onto his tow truck when he was struck and killed by an alleged drunken driver.

 

Tow truck drivers assembled throughout the morning Wednesday in the parking lot of the North Andover Mall and along Route 114, yellow lights flashing, a tribute to their fallen comrade. Cranes lifted American flags high above the trucks.

 

Between 300 to 500 tow truck drivers from across New England and possibly even New York and the Midwest are expected in North Andover for the funeral.

 

After Coady's funeral service ends, the procession is expected to make its way to the tow truck procession at the North Andover Mall, and then to Coady's Garage & Towing Service, 139 Marston St., in Lawrence.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

[TowZone]

Hundreds gather to bid farewell to tow truck driver killed in Andover

ANDOVER, MA (WHDH) - Hundreds of people, including family, friends and tow truck drivers from across the Northeast, gathered Wednesday to bid farewell to Daniel Coady, who was killed last week while responding to a crash on Interstate 495 in Andover.

 

Countless tow trucks lined Route 114 and filled the Andover Mall parking lot in a massive outpouring for Coady’s funeral procession.

 

“It shows that no matter what shirt you put on, what truck you drive, what company you work for, we’re all there for each other,” said Jamie Farrell, of Stephen’s Automotive.

 

Tow drivers from as far away as New York and New Jersey made the trip north to honor Coady, who worked for the Lawrence-based Coady’s Towing Services.

 

The North Andover native was towing a vehicle from a crash on 495 south when a woman struck and killed him with her car. Investigators said the driver – Sheena Dion – was drunk at the time. She is facing several charges, including motor vehicle homicide.

 

“Dan Coady left his home that night to tow a wrecked vehicle off the highway and he expected to return to his family. He never did,” said Todd Chase, of the Mass. Statewide Towing Association.

 

It wasn’t just tow truck drivers who joined the solemn solute. Emergency responders, including state troopers, came out to pay their respects.

“We work hand-in-hand together,” State Police Sgt. Brian McAnally said. “We all face the same dangers.”

 

Tow drivers say they hope the powerful funeral procession sends a message to motorists to steer clear of emergency responders.

 

Coady leaves behind a wife and two young sons.

 

RESOURCE LINK

[mushspeed]

The Towing industry's, police and emergency responders turn out in response to Daniel's death..... the amount of trucks and operators attending was absolutely amazing !!  an incredible sight !!   A tribute to the solidarity of the towing industry coming together to honour one of their fallen brothers.

 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Danny's family, friends and Co workers...

From your fellow towers in the UK and Europe...

 

John.

[TowZone]