A memorial convoy of more than 80 trucks drove through Moncton, New Brunswick, to pay tribute to Brandyn Comtois, a 22-year-old tow operator, who died in a collision with a transport truck on Highway 11 in Kouchibouguac on September 11.
According to the police investigation, his tow truck crossed the centreline and hit the rear of the oncoming truck on a rainy morning. The driver of the transport truck was not injured. Comtois, who was the only person in the vehicle, passed away at the scene.
On September 17, Stephane Comtois, Brandyn’s uncle, and Joel Guimond organized a procession in Brandyn’s memory. The event attracted attention of fellow operators from as far as Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. They came together to show support and unison of the towing community—with the beacons flashing on their trucks they crossed a suburb of Moncton to a funeral home on Salisbury Road.
Stephane Comtois expressed gratitude to all procession attendees who honoured his nephew: “I want to pass on a massive thank you to the Codiac RCMP, ambulance NB, tow truck drivers from near and far, family, friends, bystanders and the driving public for making this convoy possible.”
Brandyn Comtois’ incident followed only one month after another tow truck driver died on New Brunswick’s highways. On August 8, a 28-year-old operator from Woodstock rolled his tow truck onto its roof after losing control of the vehicle and colliding with the guard rail on Highway 2 near Mazerolle Settlement.