Texas Tow Company Owner Killed on Highway Shoulder

A roadside tragedy claimed the life of a Texas tow company owner on Monday, July 8, when he was struck and killed while working on the shoulder of a busy expressway in Harlingen, Texas.

David Zapata, 46, owner and operator of Steel Towing, was loading a disabled vehicle onto his 2010 black Hino tow truck along the westbound lanes of Expressway 83 near the Bass Boulevard exit when he was hit around 5:10 p.m., according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Authorities say Cristobal Stephan Garzez, 28, of Donna, was driving a white Dodge Ram and failed to slow down or move over for the emergency vehicle, striking Zapata. Garzez fled the scene but was quickly located nearby and arrested.

Garzez now faces multiple charges, including: -- Intoxication manslaughter, -- Failure to slow down or move over causing death, -- Failure to stop and render aid, and -- Possession of a controlled substance.

Zapata was pronounced dead at the scene. His death marks the 15th emergency responder struck-by fatality in the U.S. this year, reigniting urgent calls for stronger public awareness and enforcement of Move Over laws.

The crash remains under investigation. Source: https://www.towforce.net/