Since hearing the news of William Kear's death, members of his maintenance crew have called family members sharing memories of a man who was more than just a boss.
"They all say he helped them with business and personal matters," said stepdaughter, Robin Vance.
Kear died after trying to help a motorist in distress early Saturday morning on I-85, DeKalb police said. The 61-year-old maintenance supervisor for Georgia Pacific's Doraville plant was heading to work when a tire on his pickup truck went flat on the right shoulder north of Clairmont Road.
While changing the tire he spotted a suspected drunken driver hit a traffic cone in a closed HOT lane and then a construction sign, according to police.
Kear was struck by a navy blue, 300 series BMW after he had checked on the driver, police said. The vehicle, a 1990s model, "should have noticeable damage to the front end and possibly windshield," DeKalb police Maj. James Conroy said.
Vance, 40, said her stepfather was a tireless worker who enjoyed playing with his grandsons in his spare time. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at Alpharetta's Northside Chapel, Vance said.
Anyone with information about the suspected hit-and-run driver should contact police at 770-724-7610
--Staff writers Christopher Seward and Mike Morris contributed to this article.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
