WAGONER, Okla. — John Mills, a tow truck operator for Red Beard’s Towing in Muskogee died Saturday after a driver swerved onto the shoulder and hit the car he was working on.
Mills was wearing his yellow safety vest, had the blue and red emergency lights and hazards on the truck and was a safe distance off the road, according to Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
“John should’ve went home to his family, John should’ve came home to us,” said his boss Mack Parks.
Mills, leaves behind two families, his blood family and his work family. His colleagues said, this is a loss to Wagoner County, to the towing business and to the countless people he helped through his work as a tow truck operator.
“He did a great job, his customers loved him. He worked his tail off to help everybody that ever needed help,” said Parks.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol said tragedies like this are 100 percent avoidable.
“Unfortunately this is a crash that we see a lot involving emergency vehicles whether it’s a firetruck or whether it’s a trooper car or police car, it doesn’t matter. It’s just something that drivers not paying attention to the flashing lights and this wrecker did have flashing lights engaged. But if the state law had been adhered to we wouldn’t be in this situation today,” said OHP Lt. Mark Southall.
That law is called the “Move Over Law.” It requires drivers to move over or slow down for emergency vehicles on the side of the road, the law also includes tow trucks.
OHP is still investigating the crash. The driver, 76-year-old Robert Marshall, was taken to the hospital and treated for a possible head injury. Southall said they are looking at all angles of the crash and will find out the facts of what happened.
“Once we determine the facts, we’ll find out what elements of what crimes have been violated then we’ll submit that to the DA’s office and let them choose on what they have to charge,” Southall said.
Parks said they can't stress enough to slow down and move over so everyone can get home safely to their loved ones.
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