Tow truck procession to honor late Carl's Towing employee

Area tow truck drivers plan to hold a tow truck procession through Longview and Kelso Saturday in honor of former Carl's Towing employee Melvin Buck, who died in March.

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The procession is scheduled to start at Three Rivers Crossing in Kelso at 12:30 p.m. and head south, looping through Longview and passing Carl's Towing on Vandercook Way in Longview before returning to its starting point.

Carl's Towing employee Matt Smith said Buck had worked as an operator there for 27 years.

"He was a mentor to everybody there," Smith said. "Everybody looked up to him. He was ornery, but everybody loved him."

Buck died March 11 at the age of 56, according to an announcement for the event. Smith said he died of a heart attack.

The memorial was organized by Carl's Towing employees Kyle and Tyler DeSpain, along with Jake Beals of Freedom Towing and Transport in Battle Ground.

Melvin Buck

Melvin Buck

Smith plans to perform songs he's written about the towing community, such as "Spirit Ride," which highlights the dangers tow truck drivers face on the job, though Buck didn't die while working.

Like other roadside maintenance employees, tow truck drivers are often at risk of being hit by other vehicles. Two Cowlitz County tow truck drivers were killed while helping customers in 2021.

The procession is expected to include trucks from multiple towing companies. Smith said the event highlights the sense of camaraderie among tow truck drivers and the impact Buck has had on his peers.

"Towing is a brotherhood, and it's a family," Smith said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify Smith's quote.

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