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Special to the Signal
Alabama State Troopers are investigating a Wednesday, March 23 crash near Greenville that claimed the life of a Fort Deposit man and led to the arrest of a Selma man.
According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Gene Lee Schofield Jr., 27, of Fort Deposit was struck by a 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Shawn Antonio Davis, 36, of Selma and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Schofield, a tow truck operator, was assisting another motorist when he was struck. His wrecker had amber lights flashing.
Davis was arrested and charged with reckless murder as the preliminary investigation indicates that Davis was under the influence of alcohol and violated the MOVE OVER law.
The crash occurred on Interstate 65 near the 123 mile marker, approximately four miles south of Greenville. Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.
Alabama’s MOVE OVER law includes tow trucks. A copy of the code section is below.
Section 32-5A-58.2
Moving over or reducing speed when approaching law enforcement vehicles or emergency vehicles, etc.
(a) This section shall be known as the “Alabama Move Over Act.”
(b)(1) When an authorized law enforcement vehicle or emergency vehicle making use of any visual signals is parked, when a wrecker displaying amber rotating or flashing lights is performing a recovery or loading on the roadside, when a utility service vehicle operated by or on behalf of an entity providing utility services displaying any rotating lights, flashing lights, or other visual signals is parked on the roadside while performing tasks associated with the provision of utility services, or when a garbage, trash, refuse, or recycling collection vehicle is actively collecting garbage, trash, refuse, or recycling materials on the roadside, the driver of every other vehicle, as soon as it is safe, shall do the following:
a. When driving on an interstate highway or other highway with two or more lanes traveling in the direction of the law enforcement vehicle, emergency vehicle, wrecker, utility service vehicle, or garbage, trash, refuse, or recycling collection vehicle, the driver shall vacate the lane closest to the law enforcement vehicle, emergency vehicle, wrecker, utility service vehicle, or garbage, trash, refuse, or recycling collection vehicle, unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer. If not safe to move over, the driver shall slow to a speed that is at least 15 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer.
b. When driving on a two-lane road, the driver shall move as far away from the law enforcement vehicle, emergency vehicle, wrecker, utility service vehicle, or garbage, trash, refuse, or recycling collection vehicle as possible within his or her lane and slow to a speed that is 15 miles per hour less than the posted speed limit when the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour or greater or travel at 10 miles per hour when the posted speed limit is 20 miles per hour or less, unless otherwise directed by a law enforcement officer.
(2) A violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of twenty-five dollars ($25). Upon a second violation of this subsection, the fine shall be fifty dollars ($50). Upon a third or subsequent violation, the fine shall be one hundred dollars ($100).
(c)(1) The Department of Public Safety shall provide an educational awareness campaign informing the motoring public about this section. The department shall provide information about this section in all newly printed driver’s license educational materials after January 1, 2010.
(2) This section shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway.
(Act 2009-577, p. 1695, §§1-3; Act 2012-409, p. 1114, §1; Act 2013-400, p. 1536, §1.)