Tow truck drivers from across Southern California gathered Saturday to honor a driver who was killed as a result of a hit-and-run incident in May.

On Saturday morning, friends, family and a group of tow truck drivers gathered at Forest Lawn in Burbank for the funeral of Erwin Geremillo, who was killed after a reported hit-and-run collision in Castaic back in May.

“It’s just kind of rough for us because it’s a family thing,” said Steve Coffey, a tow truck driver for Panorama Towing Service. “My wife tows, I tow, and all my kids were with us at the funeral.”

The funeral was the third such service that Coffey had been to, he said.

“It just shows how serious this is,” Coffey said. “Every six days, a tow truck driver is killed in the U.S.”

Following the service, 20 tow trucks from over a dozen different agencies held a memorial procession up the I-5 freeway, ending at Castaic Towing, where Geremillo worked.

“It meant a lot to be there,” Coffey said.

Erwin Mendoza Geremillo was born in Morong, Rizal in the Philippines on Dec. 5, 1971 as the youngest of seven children. After attending college at Far Eastern University for two years, he migrated to the United States in 1991, where he found work as a tow truck driver.

“He obviously loved his job because he was able to help others that way,” reads a program from the service. “He always had a joyful spirit and you will always see him smiling.”

Then, on May 31, tragedy struck. Geremillo was called out to tow a disabled vehicle on the southbound I-5 freeway, north of Templin Highway, when he was struck by a big rig.

“A big rig veered to the right and collided with the truck operator, who was outside of his vehicle,” said Officer Josh Greenguard with the California Highway Patrol at the time. “The big rig kept driving, so at this point, it’s a felony hit-and-run.”

Geremillo succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to Mike Pittman, dispatch supervisor for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

“By the time responders were on scene, it was apparent the victim had not survived their injuries,” said Pittman.

Geremillo is survived by his longtime girlfriend, Roselle San Juan, his son Gerry Kenn Geremillo, his sister Loida Geremillo, and his brothers Romeo and Dennis Geremillo.

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