Virginia police are renewing calls for drivers to obey "Move Over" laws in the wake of the death of a 45-year-old tow truck driver on the shoulder of the Beltway.
Kris Gilbert, the owner of Fairfax Towing & Recovery, where Hicham worked, said he was a "family man" working to send money to his wife and children in Morocco.
"A tow driver that had a family and kids and a wife lost his life," said Dan Strouth, a manager at Fairfax Towing & Recovery.
Unfortunately, Hicham's case is not the first of its kind.
Virginia State Police say many drivers do not move or even slow down for first responders stopped on the shoulder.
"It is a problem here," said Virginia State Trooper Allison Hoye. "Often time when we're out on the shoulder, a lot of motorists don't adhere to the law."
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
In Virginia and Maryland, drivers who are approaching an emergency vehicle are required by law to move into a lane not immediately adjacent to the emergency vehicle.
If they cannot move into a different lane, drivers should slow down and proceed with caution.
Gilbert said the loss of Hicham is "hard on us and all the family in the towing world."
Hicham was laid to rest in Morocco Jan. 2.
The towing company set a GoFundMe page to benefit Hicham's family.
