BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – As the community continues to grieve the loss of a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputy. A group of local tow truck owners is honoring his memory and bringing awareness to a law, they say could have saved his life.
A few tow truck drivers said the death of Sergeant Michael Schlattman, who was killed in the line of duty nearly a week ago during a highway traffic stop, could have been prevented. “How many more of these accidents have to happen? This was, this shouldn’t have happened, but here we are,” said Patrick Hill, General Manager of Knittle’s Towing.
“We want to make it home at the end of the day, that’s our goal,” Marcos Gonzales, Owner of Triple J Heavy Duty Towing. On Monday, Sergeant Schlattman pulled someone over on Interstate 40 near Carnuel in the East Mountains, when a semi truck hit the back of his unit while he was outside of the car, killing him.
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A group of tow truck drivers came together Sunday evening to bring awareness to a law they say, if followed, could have saved the deputy’s life. The Move Over law in New Mexico requires drivers to slow down and move over when they see an emergency vehicle with flashing lights pulled off on the side of the road…