Driver slams into DPS patrol car, killing tow truck driver in Galveston (TX) Video Added

[TowNews]

Tower Down: 02.23.19

 

GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) --

An investigation is underway after a driver crashed into a patrol car then a tow truck operator, killing him.

The tow truck driver was helping DPS troopers clear a scene near the Gulf Freeway and Teichman Road on Saturday.

Investigators say the driver slammed into a DPS patrol car, narrowly missing the trooper, before hitting the tow truck driver.

The trooper tried to save that man, but he died at the hospital. No word yet on whether charges will be filed.

 

RESOURCE LINK with video

 

Gary DeBose:

[Jeff J]

Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and colleagues 

 

this is has to stop and it starts with proper enforcement of existing laws I can’t understand why law enforcement won’t give citations when their own life is involved???

[5towman]

I agree this has to stop, but what do we do? We can’t force people to drive safe and obey the law. All we can do is watch out for our own safety and refuse the call if it’s unsafe. We have to adopt the mind set that no call is worth getting killed over. 

My heart goes out to this mans family. 

[mooresbp]

Our thoughts and prayers go out

[GRUMPS The Towman]

Rest easy operator, your shift is over. Another person who was either too involved in their own life to give a crap about anyone else or too screwed up on drugs and or alcohol has taken the life of a son, brother, father, husband who was doing his job and helping another person. When does this stop? When do people start to pay attention to whats going on around them?? This has got to stop. And for those who say we as towers need to stop putting ourselves in danger, i partially agree but, I will tell you I'm not going to leave an elderly woman or a mother and her small children on the side of the road because there's a chance one of these clowns are barreling down the road with their face planted in their phone or had a few too many ta-ta's with their lunch is gonna run me over. our job is to help stranded / wrecked motorists. that's what we do.We as an industry NEED to get these laws enforced and they MUST carry much stiffer penalties. We need to get better recognized as the emergency responders that we are as well. Although this particular tragety did involve a police presence, most tower fatalities don't and i feel it's because we are not held to the same regard as police or fire working on the side of the road. People in my opinion, generally slow down for police cars or fire apparatus on the side of the road yet, they will blast right by me when i'm out on the side of the road. The general motoring public just don't mentally put us in that catergory. Again this is just my opinion on the matter and i know would not be the cure all to keep us all safe all the time but i feel it would help if we as an industry were better recognized as EMERGENCY VEHICLES/RESPONDERS. 

[Towman12318]

This is sad to read about yet another fellow Tow Operator being killed in the line of duty. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

[TowZone]

Tony & Bros. Towing & Repair said on their FB Page:

 

Over the weekend we lost a great friend and previous employee, Gary DuBose.🙏🏼

 

Anyone who knew Gary knew he was a stand up guy, caring man and had a huge heart for everyone he knew. Gary was a very close and dear friend to our family and all employees at Tony & Bros. Our prayers and thoughts are with Gary and his family during this very difficult time. ❤️

 

Please remember to respect the roadway, slow down and move one lane over. This not only applies to tow truck operators but for law enforcement, firefighters, ambulances, utility workers or any driver stopped on the roadway. At the end of the day these men and women have families they need to return home safe to.

[Doreen ur Finance Lady]

It is so hard to read or hear about another Tower being killed doing his job to help others.  Our prayer go out to his family, friends, and co-workers.

[Guest Jones Auto and Towing]

Godspeed tower!

wishful thinking at best thinking motorist will ever conform to these laws. They speed pass law enforcement on our roads. I know of 3 towers killed including a trooper here in Florida.

use good safety procedures with your truck is all I can say. To the family that lost this man my condolences.

[mushspeed]

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Gary's family, friends and co workers...

 

What a terrible price to pay for helping the police and public  clear the highway ....

 

Rest in peace brother, 

 

from your fellow towers across the pond in the UK 

 

John 

[goodmichael]

This is not going to stop until this industry looks at safety from a new perspective. You can not pass a law that will cause people to do the right thing such as pay attention. You can pass industry standards that require the most safe working environment possible. This is done by utilizing blocker vehicles when on the side of the road where the posted speed limit is anything over thirty miles an hour, refusing to change tires on the side of a highway, and requiring that a lane be surrendered temporarily when incident management is initiated on any roadway where the posted limit is above thirty miles per hour, or if a lane is not available for surrender, the temporary closure of all same directional flow of traffic towards the scene.

 

People just do not care if their behavior hurts, maims, or kills another human being. It will only stop if you demand the same protections that are to be afforded to a professional as they do their job. People are just not pissed off and angry enough to demand changes at this time. We keep our head in the sand, shake our fist when upset and angry, and hope that the next fatality will not hit close to home. When fifty more people are dead, the same old song and dance are not going to dull the pain that the families, friends, and loved ones will be burdened with as they pick up the pieces. Do not just say that something has to be done, DO something about it. If you point out a problem, have a solution at hand as well. Demand that changes be implemented industry wide.