Gene Schofield, Jr. remembered and honored

BY RAY VAN COR

The Greenville Standard

 

Gene Schofield, Jr. was remembered and honored this past Wednesday by the State Legislature in a joint resolution signed into effect by Governor Kay Ivey.

Resolution HJR40 officially named the mile marker 123 on Interstate 65 in memory of Gene Schofield, Jr. The Butler county native known as Little Gene to his friends and family was killed by an intoxicated driver on I65 around the 123 mile marker the evening of March 23, 2016.

Schofield was performing his duties as a wrecker service operator when struck. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Shawn Antonio Davis and it has been over three years since the incident and Davis has yet to be brought to trial.

Friends and family members have been raising funds for the signage to be placed on the interstate as well as raising funds for Little Gene’s surviving family. The family asks for prayers not only for their family but all first responders.

If you would like to donate, visit the website Heart of the Highway.com (heartofthehighway.com) that is utilized specifically that very purpose.

The Move over Law was instituted in 2009 for the safety of first responders but the law was amended in 2018 to include the Department of Transportation personnel (DOT) and stranded motorist. However this past Thursday at 5:20 pm House Bill 290 was passed to increase the fine of twenty five dollars for Failure to Move Over to one hundred dollars for a first offence, one hundred fifty dollars second offence and two hundred dollars third offence.

The Bill was fostered by District 90 House Representative Christopher Sells.