Tower Down - 07.15.21 (OK) "Updated 11.21.23"

[TowNews]

OHP: Man Killed After Being Hit By Car On Turner Turnpike

 

 

CREEK COUNTY, Oklahoma - The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has identified a man who was killed after being hit by a car on the Turner Turnpike near Kellyville late Friday night.

 

According to OHP, 44-year old Donovan Knippenburg was hit by a car eastbound on the Turner Turnpike around 11:07 p.m. on Friday and pronounced dead on the scene by first responders.

 

It is currently unclear what lead to the accident.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

 

Oklahoma Wrecker Owners Association released this statement 07.17.21

 

These posts are the hardest. Oklahoma Towers have lost a Tow Operator. Below is a message we received this morning from AWOW Towing in Tulsa, OK:

 

Just wanted to let you know we lost a driver early this morning. He was hit and killed on I-44. We were gonna give him a last right but see if you let the people know. I will update with funeral arrangements. He was with AWOW Towing and St Micheals.

 

Please pray for his family. We will post funeral arrangements and more info as we receive it.

 

Rest In Peace Donovan Knippenburg

 

Todd Leiss Posted:

Tow Truck Operator Donovan Knippenburg, of A Wow Towing, Oklahoma becomes United States Emergency Responder Struck-By Death #31 of 2021.

 

31 Emergency Responders struck & killed in the first 198 days of 2021

12 - Tow Truck Operators

16 - Law Enforcement Officers

2 - Fire/EMS

1 - Safety Service Patrol Operators

SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER for Emergency Responders.

 

National Struck-By Heroes

PennTIME - Pennsylvania Statewide Traffic Incident Management Group

Move Over Pennsylvania

 

 

 

SPERRY, Oklahoma - Friends and coworkers are heartbroken after a tow truck driver was hit and killed while working on the side of the Turner Turnpike. 

 

They say Donovan Knippenburg was an incredible man, and they wish people understood the dangers of the job. Valarie Hinshaw says it's hard to put into words what Donovan Knippenburg meant to her, but she will make sure he is remembered.

 

Knippenburg worked for Valarie Hinshaw at A-WOW Recovery and Towing for almost seven years.

 

"He'd do anything for anybody, give the shirt off his back," she said. 

 

Oklahoma Highway Patrol says Donovan was hit and killed late Friday night on the Turner Turnpike near Kellyville. Valarie says he was out of his truck and working to move a car off the turnpike when he was hit.

"When our lights are on, we're there to get the vehicle out of the way, and to open the roadway, so we are considered first responders," Hinshaw said. 

 

She says her team is heartbroken Donovan is gone, and he's going to be missed.

 

Valarie says he was a one-of-a-kind personality, who was always making people laugh.

 

She says wreckers risk their lives every time they respond to a call.

 

"When you lose someone close on our team, it really hits home, and it makes me think and I see people on the roadway, and I want to tell them, whoa move over, even if I'm just passing another wrecker, I'm moving over," she said. 

 

She says she feels hopeless when she sees people who break the law by not moving over when a wrecker is on the side of the road.

 

She wants people to realize how much Donovan's loss has hurt them and his family. 

 

"No one will ever understand the importance of moving over I guess until it hits them personally," she said. 

Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the cause of the crash is under investigation.

 

RESOURCE LINK with video

 

Family Hopes For Answers 3 Months After Father Killed While Towing Truck On Turnpike

 

 

The family of a tow truck driver who was hit and killed while working on the Creek Turnpike in July said they are still in shock.

 

Hailey and Cale Knippenburg say their dad, Donovan Knippenburg, was a man who was always there when you needed him, especially to crack a joke or to make you smile. 

 

"He would do anything to make someone laugh, even if it was something stupid, he always wanted to make people laugh," Hailey said. 

 

Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Donovan was hit and killed on July 16th when he was loading a car on the Creek Turnpike near Kellyville. 

 

"We've already been through, I mean it's only been three months and we've already been through a lot of stuff that he should have been there for, there's so many things I should have called him for and he's not there," Hailey said. 

 

Hailey said she wishes more people would move over when you see someone working on the side of the road, no matter who it is. 

 

"You know you pull over for an officer because you're scared they'll pull you over if you don't, but it's still important,” Hailey said. “It's a valued life no matter what.” 

 

Hailey said the last three months have been hard, and they are waiting and hoping for answers on what exactly happened, especially as her dad's birthday is less than a month away. 

 

"I think it's hard going into his birthday knowing there's not going to be any answers or closure anytime soon," she said. 

 

The cause of the crash is still under investigation. 

 

RESOURCE LINK with video

[mooresbp]

Our thoughts and prayers

[Moose]

Thought's and Prayer's, have not seen as many details as released in other Tower Down reports.

[Matthew Murphy]

Praying for family and friends. 

[TowNews]

UPDATED - https://www.news9.com/story/60f60afcb3756d0bd9fd3e99/tow-truck-driver-hit-and-killed-while-working-on-turner-turnpike

[T69]

Donovan was killed on 7-16-21, yet as of this date, no one has been held accountable for hitting & killing him! I am outraged by this injustice & grief-stricken for his family & friends.

[TowZone]

 

[TowForce]

Family Seeks Justice Over 2 Years After Father, Tow Truck Driver Was Struck And Killed On Turner Turnpike

A Tulsa family is still looking for answers following the death of their father, who was killed by a driver while he was working along the Turner Turnpike in July of 2021.

 

 

[TowForce]

TULSA, Okla. -

A Tulsa family is still looking for answers following the death of their father, who was killed by a driver while he was working along the Turner Turnpike in July of 2021.

 

“He was just standing on the side of the road, doing his job, trying to come home to his kids that night, his family, and he didn't get that chance because someone didn't want to pay attention,” she said.

 

Lyndsey Daggs hit and killed Donovan Knippenburg and has been charged with negligent homicide.

 

Hailey Knippenburg, the victim's daughter, says the Creek County's DA office asked if the victims' family would accept giving the driver a plea deal that wouldn't include jail time.

 

“Obviously, I said no to that because I don't understand,” she said. “I don't know in what situation you can kill someone, and you literally don't have to pay any consequences for it.

 

Hailey says giving Daggs a fair sentence would be closure for her family.

 

Donovan Knippenburg was a tow truck driver who would do anything to make sure people were safe. 

 

“I've seen him pull cars out of frozen creeks like he risked his life multiple times just to get a car out for someone or to make sure that someone's car gets somewhere safe,” said Hailey. “Like they're not stranded on the side of the road.”

 

Hailey says her father deserves justice and believes the plea deal is anything but. 

 

“I want them to consider if that was their dad or their family if they would want the case to be put on the back burner like it has been so far, and if they would accept that plea deal for their father, honestly,” she said.

 

News On 6 spoke with the County Creek DA's Office on the phone on Monday to get an update on Daggs' case. They said they were unable to talk about a pending case.

 

Lyndsey Daggs is scheduled for a pre-trial in March.

 

This will be Hailey's third Christmas without her father, Donovan. 

 

RESOURCE LINK