Tow truck driver killed in hit-and-run crash while helping stranded motorist in Grand Prairie

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - A tow truck driver who was trying to help a stranded motorist was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Grand Prairie late Thursday.

Police said Keith Holt, 46, was preparing to tow the car of a stranded motorist, a woman with a child in the back seat, on Interstate 20 near Great Southwest Parkway just before midnight Thursday. He was hit and killed by the driver of a white Nissan who never stopped and kept going west toward Arlington, police said.

“The damage to the Nissan is believed to be to the front right portion of the vehicle around the headlight. We were able to recover debris at the scene from that portion of the vehicle and believe we'll have obvious damage to the front of the vehicle,” said Sgt. Eric Hansen.

The fatal crash is the second time since November a tow truck driver was struck and killed while assisting someone on the highway. 

Charles McGough was killed in November along I-35W in Fort Worth when a semi struck him and kept going. McGough was a driver with Wicked Towing and worked for Travis Hair, who now reiterates the need for increased awareness when it comes to the Texas move over law.

"If we'd start writing tickets, people would start moving over when they see tow trucks and see firemen or anything on the side of the road. They need to move over,” Hair said.

Some who knew Holt are hopeful the driver who hit him is caught.

"He was a good wrecker driver. He was always working scenes or whatever, towing cars,” said tow truck driver John Cassol. “He would help just about anyone."

Police are asking for help from anyone who may have seen the crash around 11:30 p.m. Thursday. Police said holt seemed to be cognizant of safety precautions.

"This tow truck driver did have his amber warning light activated at the time, which means traffic should move over one lane or slow down to 20 miles per hour below the speed limit."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Grand Prairie Police Department at 972-237-8906 or Crime Stoppers at 972-988-8477.