Florida: Tow-truck drivers pay homage to comrade killed in hit-and-run

A tow-truck driver struck and killed by another motorist on the Howard Frankland Bridge on Feb. 15 was remembered during a memorial ride on Sunday by fellow tow-truck drivers from around the Tampa Bay area. About 60 drivers from Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota and Manatee counties paid homage to Rogelio “Roger” Perez-Borroto, 43, a driver with Lou’s Total Car Care and Towing in Tampa, who was struck and killed while helping stranded motorists.

Borroto’s sister, Zarias Perez-Borroto, said she was surprised by the large turnout and outpouring of support. “Everybody has embraced us in such a beautiful way,” she said. Still, Perez-Borroto said, her brother’s death has been a “nightmare,” as family members in Miami also work in the towing business.

“You always worry that (something like this) will happen,” she said. “I can’t sleep at night because it’s all I can think of.”

Ginger Darling of Nationwide Towing in Clearwater coordinated Sunday’s memorial ride. “It was an awesome sight to see all these trucks, and all these guys and women, coming out on their day off, or doing this without pay, to support the move-over law and show Rogelio’s family that we’re here for them, too,” Darling said.

Allison Faye Huffman, 36, of Riverview, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving a death; she is being held on $375,000 bail at the Hillsborough County Jail, records show. Florida’s “move over” law requires motorists to move over a lane or slow down to 20 mph below the speed limit to protect law enforcement and emergency vehicle workers.