With heavy hearts, the Owensboro, Kentucky, community is mourning the sudden and tragic loss of David Fischer, a devoted tow truck operator, who was killed while assisting a disabled vehicle on I-165 near the Daviess and Ohio county line on Wednesday morning, March 11, 2026.
According to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, dispatch received a report just before 7:00 a.m. of a pedestrian struck in the 6020 block of I-165. Fischer was assisting a disabled semi on the shoulder when he was struck by a southbound semi-truck and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the disabled semi was unharmed. Authorities later detained the semi-driver, identified as Suk Subba, 31, of Antioch, Tennessee, who has been charged with manslaughter, wanton endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.
Today, Fischer’s family shared a deeply personal tribute: “Our family lost our Uncle David in a horrific hit-and-run while he was doing his job—helping a stranded driver. Tow truck drivers and roadside workers put themselves in harm’s way every day to keep others safe. Today, that danger became our reality.”
They remembered him as a man with a huge heart for animals, especially cats, caring for hundreds over his lifetime. He took immense pride in his towing business and cherished his family above all else. His wife Barbara and children Jennifer and Jason were the center of his world, and he was always proud to speak of them.
David Fischer’s passing is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by those who work on the roads. His family urges everyone to slow down and move over when emergency lights are present.
