Family wants answers after husband was struck and killed while repairing car on highway: 'He was so loved'

CINCINNATI (WXIX/Gray News) – A grieving Cincinnati family wants answers after their loved one was struck and killed while fixing his car on the side of the highway.

Alternating between tears and laughter about happy memories, 47-year-old Reco Williams’ sisters, nieces and wife sat together Tuesday to share their favorite memories of him.

“Everywhere he went he was so loved,” said his sister, Danetra Williams, told WXIX. “There was never a dull moment. Everyone has a story to tell, and it’s a great story.”

Police wrote in a news release that Reco Williams, along with a 42-year-old woman, was inspecting a disabled car on Interstate 75 North in Cincinnati around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when he was struck by a vehicle.

“This loss right here is the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life,” Danetra Williams said. “He touched so many people.”

Reco Williams, 47, was struck and killed while standing outside a disabled vehicle on... — Reco Williams, 47, was struck and killed while standing outside a disabled vehicle on Interstate 75.(Family)

Police say a 30-year-old driver lost control of his car and went off the highway before hitting Reco Williams, but excessive speed and impairment are not believed to be factors in the crash.

‘My husband won’t come home and I’m hurt. I’m hurt,” said Reco Williams’ wife, Sharia Williams. ‘I can’t see his face. I’m injured. I just want answers.”

The driver has not been arrested and the victim’s family wants to know why.

“We don’t know anything,” Danetra Williams said. “We don’t even know what happened to the car. What was wrong with the car? What were you trying to fix?”

Reco Williams’ family says they are very close, and the 47-year-old was like a father to his five sisters. They say he always danced and sang

“He was the life of the party. He showed up, showed up and showed off every time,” Danetra Williams said.

The Williams family says he played a huge role in the lives of his dozens of nieces and nephews, and his family was everything to him.

“Who should I call if I feel like I am in danger?” asked Reco Williams’ niece, Keaira Williams. ‘Who am I going to call if it was him? He was everything to me and my family, and I want the world to know how much he was loved and how much he loved us.

The family says this tragedy hurts more than the extended family he leaves behind: it hurts an entire community.

Reco Williams’ 47th birthday was just two days before he was murdered. Danetra Williams says she spent the day with him at a Bengals game.

“That was the last time I was able to put my arms around my brother, and I never in a million years thought that would be the last time I would see him,” she said.

The family says having answers about what happened to Reco Williams won’t take away the pain, but it will help them understand. They hope the person who hit him will come forward and talk to them, as police have not released any further information.

Witnesses are asked to contact the Cincinnati Police Traffic Unit at 513-352-2514.