Tow truck driver killed in crash on Will Rogers Turnpike (OK)

[TowZone]

 

 

CLAREMORE, Okla. (KTUL) — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says a man is dead after being hit by a vehicle on the Will Rogers Turnpike Friday afternoon.

The crash happened just before 1:30 p.m. in the westbound lanes of I-44 near Claremore.

 

Officials say Jesse Jones, 70, was on the shoulder of Will Rogers Turnpike westbound because his car was not working. Jonathan Taylor, 43, was trying to tow Jones's car with his wrecker truck, so both men were out of their vehicles.

OHP says 55-year-old Harry Welker was driving westbound in the outside lane, and for some unknown reason, left the roadway to the right and hit Taylor.

Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officials are still investigating to determine the cause of the collision.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

Person Dies After Being Struck By Vehicle On Will Rogers Turnpike

OGERS COUNTY, Oklahoma -

A person has died after being struck by a vehicle on the Will Rogers Turnpike near Claremore as a vehicle was being loaded onto a tow truck Friday afternoon, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol says.

An Allied Towing of Tulsa employee was assisting a disabled semi when another semi traveling westbound and hit the worker. The Allied employee was killed, troopers say. The driver of that semi did stop about a half-mile down the road and is talking with investigators. 

The collision happened in the westbound lanes near mile marker 263 on the Will Rogers Turnpike in Rogers County.

The scene won't be cleared for a while as troopers wait for wreckers to arrive to tow the vehicles. 

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

Towing Company Releases Statement Regarding Highway Death Of Employee

CLAREMORE, Oklahoma -

We are hearing from Allied Towing in Tulsa after one of its tow truck drivers was killed on the job in Claremore. 

1/26/2018 Related Story: Person Dies After Being Struck By Vehicle On Will Rogers Turnpike

The driver was helping a disabled semi Friday afternoon when another semi hit him along the Will Rogers Turnpike. 

Allied released a statement saying, "This is a terrible tragedy. Our hearts go out to the Taylor family. We are anxious to learn the results of the official investigation. Until then, we can only help a member of the Allied family deal with the loss of a loved one.”

It’s a tragedy that is certainly being felt in the towing community.
"You're gonna know them as soon as you find out who it was. You seen him before, you know him and it hurts," said Randy Post.  

Post has been in the towing business since 1984. As the owner of Claremore's Dunlap Wrecker, he knows firsthand how close the community is. 

"It's a small town and it happened close to our town but it's like anybody in any business and they lose someone close it hurts," Post said.  

Friday afternoon, a semi-truck hit and killed the Allied driver as he helped load a vehicle onto the back of a tow truck. 

The accident blocked traffic in the westbound lanes for hours. 

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said the semi driver who hit the worker stopped about a half mile down the road.

According to Randy Post, on average, 50 tow truck drivers are killed each year, proving just how dangerous the job is.  

"We've got the move over law but you still have to be aware that people aren't moving over. Move over and slow down that's what they're supposed to do," Post said. 

The workers at Dunlap left work Friday evening visually upset to know what happened easily could have happened to one of them. 

"All we can do is pray for 'em and pray for their family. It's just a really bad situation," said Post.

A spokesperson for Allied said Mr. Taylor was 44-years-old and the father of three kids.

The family is asking for privacy tonight, so much so they're asking us not to release his first name at this time. 

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

Byran Hull Shared on FB:

 

Just sent out from Oklahoma Wrecker Owners Association:

Jonathan Taylor’s funeral will be Thursday at 2:00 at New Beginnings Church 4104 E 151st St S. Bixby, OK 74008.

 

Allied Towing will have a place available to meet with everyone to visit with friends, eat, begin staging around 11:00 until we caravan to the church at 1:00. We will meet at the Freeway Cafe 5849 S. 49th West Ave., Tulsa, OK 74107. There is plenty of space available for wreckers.

 

We will take I-44 to Hwy 75 South to Hwy 67 east. That is 151st, where the church is located. We will stage on the shoulder, in front of the church. After the services, we will have a procession to the Bixby Cemetery, less than a mile down on the same side of the road.

 

The Taylor family is so pleased and humbled that so many wrecker families have reached out to be a part of honoring JT. Of course, Allied is also thankful for the friendship and support that has been extended as well.

 

A Go fund me has been set up for JT’s wife, Melissa, and their children, Christopher, Nathaniel, and Summer. https://www.gofundme.com/the-taylor-family-support-fund

 

PayPal is also available for those who have asked. Btrue2selfalways@yahoo.com

 

Everyone is welcome to join us to honor JT. George and I appreciate the prayers that have been extended for our family at Allied.

 

Please share with our community as you see fit.

 

Thank you,

Tara Bashaw

Allied Towing of Tulsa

Tara@TowTulsa.com

[mooresbp]

Our thoughts and prayers go out

[rreschran]

Christine and I send our prayers and condolences to Mr.Taylor's family and to Atlas Towing.   R.

[towmanblue]

This is the son of Jackie Taylor that owned Daniel Boone Towing Service in Duffield Virginia that I started with in 1993 and later started my business. This hits so close to home and is something we face every time we answer the call. I know he will be missed by his friends and family out there as well as the many close friends and family he has here. R I P my friend.