Tow truck operators stand in solidarity for driver killed on James Island Expressway

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Dozens of tow trucks parked in front of the City of Charleston’s municipal building on Wednesday morning in a show of support for a fellow driver killed while responding to a motorist.

Timothy Peagler, the owner of Upright Towing and Recovery, was responding to a disabled vehicle along the James Island Expressway on September 26, 2022, when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Barry Pritchard.

Peagler died almost two weeks later.

While Pritchard was scheduled to be in court Wednesday morning on a charge of failure to move over for an emergency vehicle, he was a no-show. The judge presiding over the case ordered that his bond be forfeited.

Tow truck operators essentially say the punishment did not fit the crime and traveled to the municipal building on Lockwood Boulevard to make their presence known ahead of the expected hearing.

Among them was Peagler’s wife, Patricia. “This is the little charge he got with this big ole accident,” she said. “I don’t think it’s right.”

While in court she asked the prosecutor why Pritchard was not charged with a more serious crime. He told her they looked at the facts of the case and determined the appropriate charge was filed.

Former South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon is one of Patricia Peagler’s lawyers. He does not understand why this was not an involuntary manslaughter case.

“It’s an involuntary manslaughter case,” he said. “It meets the standard, clearly, in my view. It’s proof beyond a reasonable doubt that that’s not the standard. It’s merely more likely than not probable cause.”

He went on to say, “I think there’s ample probable cause for an arrest warrant. But apparently, the City of Charleston feels under the existing standards that if you speed, if you disregard the applicable statutes with respecting emergency scenes, and you’re not looking — that’s merely a $500 fine case, so that’s where we are.”

News 2 reached out to the Charleston Police Department (CPD), but they have not responded to us regarding the case.

Tow truck drivers that were staged at the municipal building on Wednesday say they will look into state law to see if it needs to change for future similar cases.

“You got your road construction, okay? If you run into one of those and you speed through, it’s a heavy fine plus some jail time. Why can’t it be the same for us,” asked Jeffery Mikell, an employee and friend of Peagler.

Wednesday’s court hearing technically represents the end of this particular case. Because his bond was forfeited, Pritchard lost approximately$1,000. Had he shown up to court, the maximum fine he faced for that charge was $500.