Cliffs Towing Conrad/Valier

09/08/2021

The final goodbye

05/01/2021

04/09/2021

Whoops

02/15/2021

In the United States, 1 tow truck operator is killed every 6 days, 23 highway workers every month, 1 law enforcement officer every month, 5 firefighters every year. We believe one death is too many.

When you see the lights of a stationary emergency, towing, or maintenance vehicle, always slow down upon approach, move over a lane if safe to do so, pass with care and protect a life. It’s not a courtesy, it’s the law.

02/01/2021

URGENT!! THE BILL'S HEARING DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED TO THIS WEDNESDAY AT 3 PM! HERE IS THE LINK IF YOU WISH TO TESTIFY AT THE HEARING: https://leg.mt.gov/session/have-your-say/ #:~:text=By%20noon%20the%20day%20before,will%20receive%20an%20email%20confirmation. LET'S GET THE WORD OUT!

---NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT!---

We have some very exciting news to announce and a huge request for the public.

Montana enacted the move over law in 2005. It has been 16 years since the original law has been amended and we are happy to announce that, thanks to the efforts of so many in response to the increase in struck-by incidences in the state, as well as the tragic loss of tow operators Casie Allen and Nick Visser in Oct. 2020, a new, revised bill is beginning its journey through the Montana legislature!

The new bill looks to revise the law for passing emergency and towing vehicles, revise the speed rules for passing, add tow trucks as vehicles to move over for, create the offense of reckless endangerment of emergency personnel and highway workers, change citation amounts and add the addition of jail time among other important revisions.

It is imperative that, in order to continue the bills progression through the legislature, the public contact their Representatives and respectfully voice their support for this bill! This is where we need your help! In the next few days, please contact your Representative and say yes to HB264. This is time sensitive so don't wait! For the sake of so many in our state, please be proactive and speak up! Our state needs this change and the Representatives need to hear how important it is to the personnel and families the law protects.

Below is a link to the specific bill so you can read it for yourself as well as a list of Representatives that form the Transportation Committee that is currently hearing the bill. Let's flood their offices with support!!! Please also share this post so we can reach as many people as we can!

Thank you from all of us at Move Over Montana

Transportation Committee Representatives:

Denley Lodge (R) St Regis - Chair
Jeremy Trebas (R) Great Falls- Vice Chair
Frank Smith (D) - Vice Chair
Kim Abbott (D) Helena
Julie Dooling (R) Helena
Dave Fern (D) Whitefish
Frank Fleming (R) Billings
Wylie Galt (R) Martinsdale
Derek Harvey (D) Butte
Jedediah Hinkle (R) Belgrade
Casey Knudsen (R) Malta
Ron Marshall (R) Hamilton
Barry Usher (R) Billings
Rynalea Whiteman Pena (D) Lame Deer
Kathy Whitman (R) Missoula

HB264-https://leg.mt.gov/bills/2021/billpdf/HB0264.pdf

11/04/2020

Seriously folks, SLOW DOWN AND MOVE OVER!

CONFIRMED- 2 Montana Highway Patrol vehicles struck on I-90, mile marker 444. No Troopers injured thankfully. We will post more information as it becomes available.

10/25/2020

Please, please SDMO

03/14/2020

It is absolutely ugly out there folks. Stay home! Stay safe and warm. If you’re stuck out there it may be hours before someone can get to you. Hunker down at home.

03/05/2020

Here is the current code that covers both what to do when an emergency vehicle is approaching you and when you are approaching a stationary vehicle with flashing lights. Note: the word SHALL means you MUST. Please note in all cases it states you shall slow down, not slow down if you feel like it.

01/02/2020

list of the Tow Operator/Service Tech Line of Duty Deaths in 2019. One death is too many, and this has got to stop.

2019 Tow Operators/Service Techs (US & Others) Line of Duty Deaths.....68

1. Pat Cisneros - Albuquerque, NM 1/2,
2. Keith Holt - Dallas, TX 1/4,
3. Bill Hettmann - Green Bay, WI 1/11,
4. Benny Sprinkle - State Road, NC 1/20,
5. Christopher Cannela - Winter Springs, FL 1/29,
6. Jamerson Alexander - Hampton, VA 2/7,
7. Talbot 2/10,
8. Eldridge 2/10,
9. Gary DuBose - Galveston, TX 2/23,
10. James Morris - Benicia, CA 2/26,
11. Unknown (Mexico) 3/2,
12. Dennison 3/5,
13. Taulbee 3/10,
14. Langner (South Africa) 3/19,
15. Shalvinesh Sharma - Sacramento, CA 3/26
16. Roselyn Sharma - Sacramento, CA 3/26,
17. Ronnie Davis - Dallas, TX 3/27
18. Colin Schaefer - Lake Winola, PA 3/29,
19. Yatim (Malaysia) 4/7,
20. Kit (Malaysia) 4/7,
21. Kevin Raasch - Lawrence, KS 4/7
22. Tommy McKee - Courtland, MS 4/23,
23. Michael Buffington - Richland, MS 4/25,
24. Morris Welch Jr. - Empire, AL 4/30
25. Dominic Cook - Dallas, TX 4/6
26. Jason Throne - Fremont, IN 5/2
27. Clinton Simmons - Lebanon, IN 5/8
28. Unknown - East London, South.
Africa.....5/25
29. Erwin Geremillo - Castaic, CA 5/31
30. Joe Milley - Vancouver, BC 6/9
31. Richard Struble - Tuscon, AZ 6/10
32. Donald Eastman - Franklin, NH 6/19
33. John Pekipaki - South Bay, CA 6/18
34. Daniel Semanko - Riviera, TX 6/27
35. Stuart Johnson Jr. - Baltimore, MD 6/30
36. Andrew McConnico - Coleyville, TX 7/8
37. Romeo Marquez - Panorama City, CA 7/11
38. Terrell Pack - Stephenville, TX 7/25
39. Steve Tasker - Baltimore, MD 7/28
40. Lloyd Moore, Jr. - Tallulah, LA 8/2
41. Unknown - Woodstock, N.B. 8/8
42. Richard Todd Wilson - Millbrook, AL 8/22
43. Scott Pimental - Cookeville, TN 8/23
44. Ryan Rattan - San Fernando, CA 9/2
45. Patric Barrio - Lubbock, TX 9/3
46. Michael Lindsey - Nashville, TN 10/3
47. Tarreak Butler - College Park, MD 10/6
48. Jesse Martinez-Acosta - Riverside, CA 10/7
49. Jeff Underwood - Byron, GA 10/10
50. Mario Lopez - Otay Mesa, CA 10/18
51. Thavendren Naicker - Durban, South Africa 10/21
52. Michael Morgeson - Fort Worth, TX 10/22
53. Augustin Martinez - Houston, TX 10/23
54. Jimmy (Jae's Towing) - Heath, OH 11/1
55. David Reinerio Pineda Alvarez - Washington DC, 11/6
56. Todd Burgess - Oshawa, Can. 11/7
57. Casey Marston - Woodland, CA 11/12
58. Jesus Hernandez - Santa Rosa, CA 11/15
59. Keith Kierstead - Pinellas Park, FL 11/23
60. Tommy Melton - Memphis, TN 11/23
61. Carlos Marin - Orlando, FL 11/29
62. Anthony Edgehill - Brooklyn, NY 12/2
63. Zach Johnson - Sanger, TX 12/2
64. Joshua Henao - Irving, TX 12/10
65. Paul Dakan - Denver, CO 12/15
66. Pat Herring - Somerset, PA 12/19
67. Ralph Walker - Newport News, VA 12/23
68. Larry Kizer - Louisville, KY 12/31

12/17/2019

This! This is why everyone needs to SDMO. Thank goodness he’s ok!

My husband was hit in his patrol vehicle yesterday.

I started Move Over Montana five years ago after he was struck while on duty. For a second time my family faced the reality of losing him. All because someone didn’t slow down through a crash scene.

He is ok. He walked away with a sore back and neck. The other responders at the scene are ok too, and the driver of the vehicle that hit him is ok...even after rolling it.

He text me not long after the crash that he was alright. It could have been so different though. Instead of a text I could have received a knock at my front door. His coworkers, our friends, standing outside, waiting to tell me he was dead. Instead of going to sleep next to my spouse, I could have sat by the light of the Christmas tree hearing the news that he had been killed, that he was never coming home. Instead planning the Christmas holiday, planning a funeral could have become the focus.

Because someone didn’t slow down we could have lost everything. My chance to grow old with my best friend. Our daughter’s chance for their daddy to walk them down the isle. Our son’s chance to learn “man stuff” from his dad. My husband’s life! It could have been stolen in one split second.

I BEG YOU...when approaching emergency or construction lights, slow down! Move over when it’s safe to do so. Protect every life on the road.

I woke up this morning and saw my husband’s face. I hugged him with so much relief. With a grateful heart I thanked God for His protection. Our story ended ok. Everyone at the crash scene is ok. The driver is ok. But do you see how many lives could have been changed forever?! Do you see the impact one split second decision could have had on so many people and their families?!

The law was created for everyone on the roadway...the personnel, the drivers, the families...everyone who has something to lose.

Our story ended with safety and relief. For too many responders, tow operators, and construction workers, their story ends with death or life changing injury. Their families get the knock at the door. They get the reality of life without their loved one. Far to often someone’s story ends because of a situation like what happened yesterday.

Please! When you see flashing emergency lights, slow down immediately. Take time to assess what you’re coming up on.
Move over if it’s safe. The personnel working have so much to lose. You have so much to lose. But no one has to lose anything if we protect each other.

Thank you for reading this. I truly hope it conveys my desperation for the public to act on behalf of those working Montana’s roadways. So many lives and dreams and memories have yet to be lived out. Give everyone a chance at life by slowing down and moving over. Every time for every life.

I’m going to go give my Trooper another big hug. Hug your loved one too.

Sincerely,
Admin B