Community honors fallen towing company owner, advocates for stricter Move Over Law
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - It was a special tribute Thursday night to the owner of a Cherokee County towing company, who was killed while working on the side of the road last fall. Frank Ingram would have been 49 years old on Thursday. Instead of celebrating his birthday, his friends and family gathered to honor his life and call attention to the Move Over Law in Georgia.
"Frank was a wonderful person, he helped people so much," said his mother, Gloria Ingram.
Ingram was well known in his community. Many knew him for his skill on the racetrack.
"He was a car driver ever since he was 14 years old. And he was well known all over," said Gloria.
Most knew him as the owner of Ingram Towing and Impound Service.
"He loved what he did. He loved the people he met, he loved driving the big wrecker," said Christian Ingram, Frank's nephew.
On October 19, Frank was dispatched to tow a dump truck on Interstate 575. He was getting ready to hook up his safety chains when he was hit and killed by a vehicle.
"As he was walking toward the dump truck to hook it up a driver in a van swerved, hit Frank, and he got pinned between the wrecker and the van, and it pushed him into the roadway," said Christian.
The driver was charged.
Frank's family says his tragic death highlights the dangers that tow truck operators face every day. Now, they're fighting to bring awareness and change to the move over law.
"I want it to be on the driver's test when people get their license. I want it to be in Driver's Ed in schools. I think that would help them a lot, just for them to learn. There's a lot of people that don't even know that there is a Move Over Law," said Gloria.
The family also wants stiffer penalties for those who violate the Move Over Law.
The Towing Recovery Association of America says one operator is killed every six days on the nation's roadways.
"We want to spread awareness using Frank's story and accident to hopefully save future lives and to bring awareness to the accidents that happen on the roadways," said Christian.
The Ingram family has started a petition calling for some changes to be made to the Move Over Law, including stiffer penalties for those who violate the law.