Friends and co-workers of a tow truck driver killed along I-94 near US 23 went back to the crash site on Wednesday. They put a cross there so drivers would know what happened to Nader Chehadi, a husband and father of 2 young children.
Chehadi, a tow truck driver for Budget Towing in Ypsilanti, died while he was helping a school bus stopped along the freeway. It was after 10 o'clock Tuesday morning when police say an SUV slammed into that school bus, killing Chehadi.
Michael Wood, who works at Budget Towing, says he and his co-workers also wanted to put that cross out at the crash site to raise awareness about safety on the road.
"We have cars going by within inches of our truck," says Michael Wood. "See what happened yesterday. It's tragic."
7 Action News put a GoPro camera on one of those tow trucks and we could see that many drivers didn't bother to move over.
Michigan State Police say back in 2011, the Move Over Law was passed. It says if you come upon an emergency vehicle, including tow trucks, while they're working, you are to move over one lane if there's room. If you can't, you're required to slow down.
Fady Salemeh owns Budget Towing and is a family member of Nader Chehadi.
"Nader Chehadi was my brother's wife's nephew. He's worked with us since 2004. He was the heart of the company," he says.
He also urges drivers to pay more attention while on the road.
"Give them space. Let them do what they gotta do. Those kids are never gonna see their dad again. Don't we all want to go home to our families?"
On Wednesday afternoon, Michigan State Police released new details surrounding the crash in this news release:
Tow truck driver Nader Chehadi, 42 from Ypsilanti, was killed when an SUV struck a school bus, stopped on the side of the freeway, that he was assisting.
Witnesses report seeing the SUV make an abrupt lane change to the right, crossing all lanes of travel, before driving on to the shoulder. The SUV then attempted to enter the freeway again, but stuck the back of the school bus. The driver of the SUV did not have a valid driver’s license. The driver, her three children and another passenger were critically injured. The children not properly restrained in the vehicle.
Updated conditions are listed below:
- Driver: Andre A Shantay-Samo-Ne Edwards, 25 of Ann Arbor, seatbelt/unknown; serious condition
- Front seat passenger: Antoinette Butler, 28 of Ypsilanti, seatbelt/unknown; critical condition
- Back seat passenger: Deprince Moore, 5 of Ypsilanti, no seatbelt or child restraint; critical condition
- Back seat passenger: Desmond Moore, 4 of Ypsilanti, no seatbelt or child restraint; serious condition
- Back seat passenger: Darrel Moore, 2 of Ypsilanti, no seatbelt or child restraint; stable condition
Toxicology reports will determine if alcohol or drugs were a factor in this crash.
