Andrew 'Opie' Smith, a heavy wrecker operator for HJ Towing and Recovery and volunteer firefighter, was killed on January 4, 2012 when a tractor-trailer driver failed to move over as he was assisting a disabled pickup on Route 581 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania, according to HJ Towing. A convoy of tow trucks from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia followed Smith's favorite wrecker, Shrek, with a custom-built carrier welded to transport his casket so he could take his last ride.
Operator takeaway
A casket carried on his favorite wrecker for his last ride — this is how the industry honors its own, and this is why Move Over laws exist. Andrew Smith's story should be in every new driver's training packet.