Julia Blackwell, 21, was arrested Wednesday and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death after Florida Highway Patrol troopers said she struck and reversed over 59-year-old Ronald Bear at the moment he was removing the tow strap that had just freed her pickup from a muddy ditch near State Road 50 and State Road 520 around 5 a.m. May 16, according to ClickOrlando. Troopers said a witness at the scene yelled 'You killed him,' and that Blackwell climbed into the passenger seat after the crash while another person drove them away.
Operator takeaway
Ronald Bear was a friend with a tow strap, not a licensed operator on a dispatched call, and that distinction does not change what your drivers face every time they kneel down to unhook a vehicle. Treat the moment the strap is being removed as the highest-risk moment of the recovery and brief your crew on what to do when the customer is in the driver's seat.