Tow truck drivers honor David Zapata, push for safety awareness

WESLACO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Local tow truck companies pay tribute to commemorate the life of David Zapata.

Approximately sixty tow truck drivers arrived at the Weslaco Stadium to pay respect to David Zapata, the owner of Steel Towing, who was struck and killed Tuesday while securing a vehicle onto his tow truck on the shoulder lane in Harlingen.

Photo by: Sandy Torres/ValleyCentral

Organizers of the memorial say the event is to give Zapata one last goodbye but also spread awareness on Texans' duty to move over and slow down when drivers see them on the streets doing their job.

According to a previous ValleyCentral article, Cristobal Stephan Garzez, 28, was driving a white Dodge Ram, going westbound on IH-2 and hit Zapata after failing to slow down or move over for an emergency vehicle.

Garzez left the scene but was located near the crash site. He was booked into the Cameron County Jail and charged with intoxication manslaughter, failure to slow down, causing death, failure to stop and render aid, and possession of a controlled substance, according to the release.