Chad Tillman, a 12-year Marine veteran and trucker, was one of two good Samaritans killed after stopping to help a driver involved in a crash on the northbound 15.
FALLBROOK, Calif. - Chad Tillman, a 12-year Marine veteran, was killed in the early morning hours of Thursday while trying to help a driver involved in a crash on the northbound 15 freeway near Highway 76.
A second good Samaritan, a woman who had also pulled over to help, was also killed. A resident of Fallbrook, Tillman, 54, was a trucker for an East County sand and gravel company and was on the road for a delivery when he came upon the crash scene just after 4 a.m. He called 9-1-1 before getting out of his truck to help.
According to the California Highway Patrol, it all began when a Toyota minivan was rear-ended by a Honda CR-V driven by a 21-year-old man, sending the Honda into the median. Tillman and the other good Samaritan were standing on the driver's side of the Honda CR-V when another car collided with the CR-V, striking both of them. Both died at the scene. The 21-year-old driver from the initial collision was booked on DUI charges.
Tillman's friend and co-worker, Cody Willingham, said the past two days have felt like waves of emotions.
“Devastated for his family. Distraught how sudden it was. Just hard to believe. It's hard to accept he's gone," Willingham said.
Willingham said it came as no surprise that Tillman stopped to help.
"He was just being Chad, being who he is, doing what he could to help out, despite what it's going to cost him," Willingham said. Willingham described Tillman as a force of a person who always made an impression.
"A personality, a force of a person. Just for him to be gone, it's just a tremendous void," Willingham said. Friends say Tillman, who served as a drill sergeant in the Marines, was a kind and generous friend who was passionate about his family — his wife and children — his job, and the San Diego Padres. Willingham said Tillman even named his truck"Fannie Machado" after the Padres star.
"This is one of 10 Padres shirts Chad gave me," Willingham said, pointing to the shirt he was wearing. Willingham said the loss has offered a sobering reminder.
"It gives you a whole new appreciation about how fragile life is," Willingham said. Williamson set up a Gofundme campaign to help Tillman’s family. The CHP has not released the name of the driver facing DUI charges. This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI.
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