AURORA, Missouri – Neighbours helping neighbours in need.
One Lawrence County man has made it his mission to assist stranded motorists.
“If you think you’re going into a ditch or something, just stop,” Gene Williams warned.
He claims his friend drove off the side of Highway 60 in Lawrence County on Tuesday night. Fortunately, he was able to hail a tow truck to rescue him from the snow.
“Call for assistance. “It might become dangerous,” he said.
Getting stuck in the snow in Lawrence County does not always mean you have to wait for a tow truck. There are other options for getting out of the snow.
Meet Keith Garrison.
“We just literally drive around looking for people stuck in the snow or needing help,” he told me.
He’s spent his snow days scouring the county for stranded drivers.
“Every now and then, we hit the back roads to double-check. Some of these back roads, such as K and ZZ, are not ploughed until later. Everybody knows the main routes out of town. “They’re either in the ditch or piled up,” Garrison explained.
But he’s not your typical do-gooder. He has the equipment required to move most vehicles out of a jam.
“Most of the time, we have chains in the back that we can hook up, or we simply wheel the wench out to the car. “I hook up at whatever jack point I can and drag them out based on the situation and how deep they are,” he said.
He claims that while any job can be hazardous, he takes the necessary precautions to stay safe.
“Last night it was in a busy intersection, having to have Aurora PD block off the road and stop traffic was nice,” he told me.
He claims he’s never met a stranger who didn’t quickly become a friend.
“People are extremely happy. Initially, a few people are very confused. “They wonder why a random stranger is just knocking on their window and asking if they need help,” Garrison explained.
Garrison has assisted nearly a dozen stranded motorists in the snow since last night.
