Honor run planned for killed tow truck driver (WI)

[TowNews]

 

GREEN BAY, Wis. — A friend and co-worker of the tow truck driver hit and killed is remembering him as a super guy with a great dedication to his work.

 

Glenn's Towing president Darrell Henninger said that Jesse Hettmann always wanted to learn more and quickly went from employee to co-worker to friend.

 

Hettman died Friday when he was hit by a car along Interstate-41.

• Name released in fatal crash on Interstate-41

Henninger said he'll remember Hettmann as a super guy with a great dedication to his work.

 

"Always a guy willing to do the job," Henninger said. "We would make lunch plans and a call would come in, and he'd be the first one to skip lunch and go take care of the call."

 

Hettmann leaves behind a wife, two young kids, and countless friends and family.

 

Monday, trucks will line up for an honor run past the site of the accident.

 

Trucks will get on the northbound ramp and will light up their trucks with head lamps, running lights, or strobes.

 

Trucks will then exit and circle back to the southbound side.

 

A donation bucket will be set up for Jesse's family.

 

RESOURCE LINK

[TowNews]

Tow truck driver pays tribute

Tow truck driver Bob Patza Jr. from Jim Olson Motors in Sturgeon Bay hopes people learn a valuable lesson during Monday’s Light’em Up for Jesse Honor Run.  Dozens of tow truck drivers, emergency personnel, and other operators will turn on their strobe lights and drive a portion of U.S. Highway 41 near DePere in honor of Jesse Hettmann, who was struck and killed on Friday while moving a stalled vehicle. Patza read the story early Saturday morning and received a call for a tow just ten minutes after he finished it. He admits it was the first time he had a hard time getting into his truck. After deciding to participate in the honor run, Patza says he needed to pay tribute to one of his own.

 

Motorists are required to move over if possible if they see a vehicle with its emergency lights on. Violating the law could cost you more than $260 and three demerit points on your license.

 

RESOURCE LINK with Audio

[rreschran]

Hey Darrell ... Christine and I send our prayers to support your convoy in Jesse's memory. Know that we'll be there in Spirit from Alpine, CA.     R.

[rreschran]

On a seperate note; violating the law could cost you more than $260 and three demerit points on your license. That's called, "CHUMP CHANGE", and reflects that protecting the lives of first responders doesn't warrant a fine of greater proportions.     R.   

[TowNews]

ASHWAUBENON — Hundreds of truckers came together Monday night, Jan. 14 to pay tribute to a tow truck driver killed while removing a vehicle on I-41.

According to our partners, WLUK in Green Bay, the crash happened around 1:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, Jan. 11.

The tow truck driver, identified by WLUK as Jesse Hettman, was removing a vehicle from I-41 near Oneida Street when he was hit. Brown County sheriff’s officials told WLUK the victim stepped into traffic when he was hit.

“We don’t know if he was trying to retrieve some items related to the stalled vehicle or not,” Lt. John Bain of the Brown County Sheriff’s Department told WLUK.

On Monday night, flashing lights from hundreds of trucks lit up the site where Hettman was hit and killed. His brother Matt told WLUK the family was overwhelmed by the support from the community. He described his brother as someone who “absolutely loved his job and loved helping people.”

Friends echoed that statement, telling WLUK Hettman “touched so many lives.”

[TowNews]