HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 7

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Dennis J. Roch

A JOINT MEMORIAL

HONORING THE MEMORY OF ROBERT "BOBBY" UNRUH, A TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO LOST HIS LIFE WHILE TRYING TO SAVE ANOTHER; RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF NEW MEXICO'S EXPANDED "MOVE OVER" LAW FOR PROTECTING TOWING AND ROADSIDE REPAIR WORKERS.

     WHEREAS, Robert "Bobby" Unruh is an example of a person whose death exemplifies the concern and selflessness that guided him in his life; and

     WHEREAS, Robert, a veteran tow truck driver employed by All-Rite towing and repair in Tucumcari, died on February 19, 2017 at age thirty-seven; and

     WHEREAS, on that day, Robert was dispatched with his service truck to clean up an oil spill on the freeway; and

     WHEREAS, another of the company's employees, who had already arrived at the site of the spill, was setting up equipment on the side of his pulled-over service truck facing traffic; and

     WHEREAS, once on the scene, Robert began directing oncoming traffic away from his co-worker and a trainee Robert had brought with him; and

     WHEREAS, most of the passing vehicles were heeding Robert's signals and moving over to the far lane, except for one passing truck; and

     WHEREAS, recognizing the hazard, Robert cried out a warning, bolted toward his co-worker and shoved him to safety in the service truck's tool box compartment; and

     WHEREAS, the passing truck then clipped Robert at the hips and thrust him into the air; and

     WHEREAS, Robert died soon thereafter, leaving behind his fourteen-year-old daughter, Destiny, ten-year-old son, Robert, nine-year-old son, Leland, and mother, Linda Unruh, who is now raising the children; and

     WHEREAS, in the face of her grief, Linda began promoting the expansion of New Mexico's "move over" law, a measure that had been proposed in the then-occurring 2017 regular session of the legislature; and

     WHEREAS, the measure, Senate Bill 76, provided that the heightened level of caution that drivers must exercise when passing public safety vehicles stopped on roadsides and displaying flashing lights extend also to recovery or repair vehicles under those circumstances; and

     WHEREAS, Linda's efforts helped lead to the enactment of Senate Bill 76; and

     WHEREAS, many now call the expanded "move over" law, brought about by Senate Bill 76, "Bobby's Law" afer Robert "Bobby" Unruh;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the memory of Robert "Bobby" Unruh, a New Mexican who lost his life while saving that of another, be honored and that condolences be extended to his family and friends; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the expanded "move over" law be recognized as important for public safety and for its potential to save the lives of towing and roadside repair workers like Robert; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be

transmitted to the family of Robert "Bobby" Unruh.

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