HASTINGS, Mich. — On Nov. 4, state police said 25-year-old Keagan Spencer was towing vehicles when he stopped on the median on M-6 near Kraft to help a lost dog. Police said a car driving eastbound lost control and drove onto the median, striking Spencer and killing him.
Spencer was a third-generation tow truck driver from Hastings and leaves behind a fiancé, a young daughter and a soon-to-be stepson.
To honor Spencer, a tow truck procession was held on Saturday at Spencer’s Towing and Tire, a business his grandfather founded.
Around 400-500 tow trucks from across the nation gathered in a long procession to pay their respects to Spencer and emphasize the importance of safe driving around tow truck drivers.
“Keagan is riding his last ride on the back of his flatbed driven by his fiancee with his daughter in the truck and his stepson and his father,” said Joey Bird, founder of the Facebook page Tow Community and Spencer’s friend.
Spencer’s family says he was a true example of an American tow man and wants to use his legacy to encourage drivers to “slow down and move over” around tow men.
Billboards are now appearing around Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, spreading this message.
“It’s extremely dangerous,” Bird said. “Not many people realize the impact when you don’t slow down and move over for us. I’ve had numerous times where I’ve jumped out of the way.”
Bird said he’s glad everyone came together in the procession to support one another.
“I am completely blown away with towing operators in the area,” Bird said. “I’ve been getting phone calls all week and messages. There’s a guy in Washington who actually has a tow truck song and he sent it to me to play at the funeral for the family. It’s absolutely beautiful and I cannot believe it enough. It’s absolutely crazy, everything that’s going on.”
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