Colleagues recall death of tow truck driver killed in wrong-way crash on I-271

BEDFORD HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) – Dozens of two trucks pulled out of A&I Automotive Saturday afternoon, retracing Henry Banks’ last drive. falling driver.

“We’re all hurting right now because we lost a great driver,” said Kaylee Peet, a colleague at A&I Automotive who helped organize the trip.

“Henry was a friend of mine,” added Isaiah Thomas of A&I, where Banks worked. “He wasn’t just an employee here. He’s a family man, a great goalkeeper, an all-around great guy. “It’s unfortunate that this happened.”

Early Monday morning, Henry Banks and a wrong-way driver were killed on I-271 Northbound when a wrong-way Toyota Tundra crashed into Henry’s tow truck just north of Chagrin Boulevard.

“Thank God we can celebrate it today,” Thomas said.

The march started at the A&I in Bedford Heights and led trucks past the crash site on Pepper Pike; it was a journey to remember both a man and the dangers of a job that was never far from anyone’s mind.

“It was hard, man, it was hard, getting out on the road, making these calls,” said Jacob Shucofsky of ALCAR Recovery. “We are concerned about drivers and people driving in the wrong direction not slowing down and moving forward.”

Drivers are placing stickers on their windows to raise awareness of wrong-way accidents and for basic road safety.

“Pay attention, triple check, double check, do whatever it takes, even stop and look before you get on that highway,” Peet said. “Do whatever it takes to make sure you’re going the right way on the highway, because it could be your life or it could be someone else’s life.”

The monument at the scene of the accident pays tribute to the husband and father of three young children and also serves as a reminder of traffic safety.

“I want them to know that we all have families and our jobs are hard enough,” Shucofsky said. “We have loved ones to go home to, and it’s hard.”

“I know he’s gone, but he’ll live with us forever,” Thomas said. “We love Henry Banks and will forever preserve his name.”

Henry Banks’ family has posted a GoFundMe account to help cover funeral expenses.

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