'Move Over, Slow Down,' Mills Co. tow truck driver killed in crash
MILLS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The family of a tow truck operator killed in a hit and run while on-duty wants to see the Move Over Law taken more seriously.
It requires drivers to move over a line or slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit while passing emergency vehicles, law enforcement, tow trucks, utility service vehicles, TxDOT vehicles or other highway construction.
Troopers say Patrick Morin, 61, was hit and killed while working to secure a car onto his tow truck near Goldthwaite, which is about 100 miles west of WACO.
According to the First Responder Safety Institute, 47 first responders - including tow truck drivers and roadside assistance - were hit and killed on the side of the road.
Seventeen of those were tow operators, the most of any category, see below.
"He was an extraordinary man," said Morin's wife Mitzi.
According to TxDOT's website, "Drivers who fail to give emergency and work crews space to safely do their jobs can receive a ticket with a fine of up to $200."
"To see that the maximum fine is $200 to me is a joke," said Morin's son Christopher.
They're pleading with drivers to take roadside safety seriously, whether they're passing first responders, tow trucks — or people who have pulled over, even though the law doesn't officially apply to them.