A Canadian driver has been recognized for his actions helping a fellow truck who crashed in Ohio.
The Truckload Carriers Association recently named truck driver Joseph Carroll from London, Ontario, Canada, a TCA Highway Angel for rescuing a trucker after his vehicle crashed and he had been trapped beneath debris. Carroll drives for Elgin Motor Freight out of London, Ontario, Canada.
TCA explains:
Joseph CarrollAround 5 a.m. on Monday, March 29, Carroll was heading north on Interstate 75, just past Wapakoneta, Ohio, when a tractor-trailer hauling lime in front of him lost control. Apparently, the truck driver blacked out, causing the vehicle to hit the guardrail before a bridge, strike the bridge itself, and then crash through the guardrail into a 12-foot ditch.
“In just a matter of seconds there was gravel all over the highway,” Carroll said. “The transport truck was lying on its side, the lights were dim and there was no roof on the truck.”
Carroll immediately took action. He brought his truck to a halt and rushed back to the scene. A young woman also stopped and was calling 911 as Carroll descended into the ditch to assist the truck driver.
“I told her to stay at the top of the ditch because I did not expect to find somebody living,” Carroll said.
Down in the embankment, he called out, asking if the driver was okay, and the driver responded, “I’m over here.” The violent crash had torn off the truck’s roof, leaving the driver trapped outside the cab and beneath the debris.
“The truck and trailer were lying on the driver’s side,” Carroll said. “I was floored that someone actually made it through something like that.”
With determination and strength, Carroll managed to push the heavy roof off the driver, who was covered with the scattered contents from inside the truck. To Carroll‘s amazement and relief, the driver was unhurt, though visibly shaken and confused by the traumatic event.
“I walked him up to the shoulder of the road; he could walk, he did not have a scratch,” Carroll said. “He was ejected from the truck.”
Carroll ‘s quick thinking and courageous actions reflect the highest standards of Elgin Motor Freight, where he has been a valued team member since 2019. Carroll and the driver he assisted are still in contact, demonstrating the lasting impact of his heroic efforts.
“I have to help,” he said. “It’s who I am. I don’t care if I’m late for anything!”
Since the TCA Highway Angels program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,400 professional truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage displayed while on the job. Thanks to the program’s presenting sponsor, EpicVue, and supporting sponsors, DriverFacts and Northland Insurance, TCA is able to showcase outstanding drivers like Carroll .
Joseph Carroll
