Washington woman reminds people to slow down, move over

By DREW MARINE

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    KELSO, Washington (KPTV) — This year alone, more than a dozen tow truck drivers in Washington have been killed helping people on the side of the road. One of those people was 63-year-old Arthur Anderson.

“He was an all-around great person in general,” his daughter, Sparkle Chisum, said. “I mean, the smile gave it away.”

Anderson owned Affordable Towing for more than 30 years and Chisum said he was very dedicated to his job.

“When you’ve had multiple surgeries and medical problems and you still keep going, that means something,” she said.

This April, Anderson went out on a tow job along I-5, north of Kelso. Washington State Patrol said Travis Stoker spun out and needed a tow, so his parents Rick and Karen picked him up.

Police said that’s when 43-year-old Anna-Christie Ireland ran into Rick and Karen’s car, killing them both and Chisum’s dad, who was towing the car.

“I tried to fight the officers on the freeway to get through just to see him one last time, but I didn’t,” Chisum said.

Ireland is facing three charges of vehicular homicide.

Now, six months after Anderson’s death, it’s national Slow Down, Move Over Day. As of September, Washington State Patrol said there have been 16 tow truck drivers killed helping someone on the side of the road.

“It would have been a lot easier if there was a goodbye,” Chisum said. “If there was closure. But there’s not and there never will be and that’s why we’re still stuck.”

The national holiday reminds drivers if you see first responders, tow trucks or utility vehicles pulled over on the side of the road, you need to slow down ten miles per hour under the posted speed limit or move over one lane.

Chisum hopes people take this law seriously, so this tragedy doesn’t happen to someone else.

“It’s not just the tow truck drivers,” she said. “It’s not just EMTs or the fire department or the police. It’s for normal cars that are on the side of the road that are being fixed or are broken down. Just have a little bit of respect because that could be someone’s father, someone’s grandma.”

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