Naples tow truck worker urges drivers to move over on highway

NAPLES, Fla. A 37-year-old man veered off the road Friday and slammed into the back of a tow truck pulled over on Alligator Alley.

Allan Romesser, of Fort Myers, was pronounced dead at the scene and his 6-year-old son passenger was seriously injured.

MORE: Fort Myers man, 37, killed in Friday crash on I-75 at mm 50

Tim Baker, owner of Baker’s Towing Company, says similar incidents happen often and urges drivers to move over when a tow truck has their lights turned on.

“The bed of these trucks, this is as strong as steel, as you can pretty much get. If you hit this, pretty much whatever hits this, is going to just come apart. These tow trucks just don’t move,” Baker said.

Workers are required to turn on their emergency lights and wear safety vests while on the job, according to Baker.

“When we’re out on the highway people never move over, they just pass right next to us, within a few feet and pass us going 80 miles per hour on the interstate it’s a pretty dangerous job,” he said.

If a tow truck is on the side of the road drivers should safely move over one lane or reduce their speed by 20 miles per hour, according to Florida State Statute.