JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A vigil was held Monday night to honor and remember 30-year-old Carlos Betancourt.
A sea of tow trucks, drivers, friends, and family came out to remember Betancourt. A thin yellow line flag flew high for a fallen tow truck driver.
“Showing him honor, respect and we will miss him and we have the chains from here,” said Michael Finnacum, a fellow tow-truck driver.
Betancourt’s brother, Kevin Betancourt, spoke to the crowd, saying he will be deeply missed.
“It’s not a goodbye, it’s just a see you later,” he said.
Finnacum said he meant the world to the community and their brotherhood.
“He’s going to be dearly missed, we love him,” he said.
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Action News Jax confirmed through family on Sunday that Betancourt was the tow-truck driver killed in the early Sunday morning crash off I-295, just north of Blanding Blvd.
FHP said the incident happened around 2:44 a.m. when a 23-year-old female SUV driver crashed into Betancourt and a 19-year-old stranded driver, killing both.
The report said Betancourt’s truck was parked on the left shoulder, partially blocking the left travel lane.
“It’s been rough, phone calls, text messages, memories,” Mike Register said.
Family confirmed with Action News Jax that Betancourt was a two-time cancer survivor as well.
Register, who said he was best friends with Betancourt, said he was simply one of a kind.
“Every time you were around him there was a never a dull moment,” he said. “He’s definitely one of a kind, you can’t just find a friend like that.”
Friends and former coworkers urged drivers to be aware of the Florida Move Over law, which requires drivers to safely move over a lane or reduce speed at least 20mph of the posted speed limit if they can’t move over for emergency vehicles includes tow trucks.
“Nobody thinks out on the road, they get in a hurry and it’s a go go go,” Register said. “If you just slow down, take a second and breathe, your family wants you to come home.”
FHP says the female driver of the SUV was not injured in the crash Sunday morning. A GoFundMe page has been created to help Betancourt’s family pay for funeral expenses.
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