BLOOMFIELD, CONNECTICUT — Alex Ramos, a tow truck driver from East Hartford who worked for Governor’s Auto Body, was struck and killed Tuesday evening while loading a teal Kia SUV on Tunxis Avenue in Bloomfield. He was
pronounced dead at the scene from severe head trauma. He leaves behind a wife, his mother, and two young children — a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old.
Bloomfield Police said the crash occurred around 7:35 p.m. on the 300 block of Tunxis Avenue. A passing car struck Ramos while he was working roadside. According to a fellow tow truck operator who arrived to finish the job, the vehicle clipped the edge of the truck bed, went up the ramp on the back of the bed, lost control, and struck Ramos. The car ended up flipped onto its roof south of the scene. The driver remained on scene and was taken to a hospital for evaluation. No arrests have been made. The North Central Municipal Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating.
Who Alex Was
Those who knew Ramos described him as a dedicated family man who knew his job well. Daryl Granville, a tow truck operator with 20 years of experience and a friend of Ramos, said simply: “Great kid — I say kid because I’m older than him — but a great guy. Family man, dedicated worker. He knew his job. Great guy.”
The GoFundMe set up for his family put it plainly: “At an age when their biggest worries should be bedtime stories, toys and what they want for breakfast, these children are now facing life without their dad.”
The Community Response
More than 100 tow trucks filled the streets of East Hartford to honor Ramos, driving a convoy through his neighborhood while family, friends, and community members gathered for a vigil outside his home.
“The fact that he was not able to get home to his family and his kids — that, it hurts,” said Christopher Trotter, a tow truck operator with A&B Auto Salvage.
Trotter and other operators used the moment to speak about the daily dangers they face working feet from fast-moving traffic. “They will see the lights and tend to come towards us rather than go away from us. If you can’t move over, you should slow down because we are underneath the trucks,” he said. Trotter described times he had to dive under his truck or onto the bed to avoid being struck.
Granville, who said he has pulled state troopers out of the path of oncoming vehicles, echoed the frustration. “No one wants to break down, so you can’t control where you break down. But the things people can control, they don’t do. Moving over more, being aware of our lights, hazard signs, stuff like that.”
Connecticut’s Move Over law requires drivers to slow down and move over one lane when approaching emergency vehicles, highway crews, and tow trucks stopped with flashing lights. Operators say many drivers still fail to comply.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Ramos’ family with funeral costs and ongoing expenses. Donations can be made by searching “In Memory of Alex Ramos” on GoFundMe.
Interviews courtesy of local media and GoFundMe.
📸 Image(s) used under fair use for news reporting.
