Trucker Named Highway Angel for Rescuing Driver of a Flipped Truck & Camper

07/10/2023
Alexandria, Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named truck driver Joshua Day from Potsdam, OH, a Highway Angel for stopping to help a driver after his pickup truck and camper flipped. Day drives for ABF Freight out of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

It’s an incredible story: On June 13, 2023, around 12:20 p.m., Day was driving on Interstate 75 in London, KY. He was traveling in the right lane and a pickup truck hauling a camper trailer was traveling in the left traffic lane. The driver in the pickup truck lost control of his vehicle, crossed two lanes of traffic, ran off the roadway and flipped his truck and camper/trailer four times.

“He lost control of his truck and his camper and turned his truck and camper over in front of the semi that I was driving,” said Day. “I did everything I could do to avoid hitting him—thank God I didn’t hit him.”

Day pulled over safely, called 911 and assisted the injured driver out of the vehicle, who seemed confused and dazed. The crashed vehicle had propane tanks leaking and Day was focused on removing him from the vehicle and getting him somewhere safe. The London Police Department arrived at the scene and cleanup crews took care of the leaking propane.

“The severity of the accident is what made me stop,” said Day, who has been driving a truck for 13 years. “That’s what we’re supposed to do as humans, right?”

Since the program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,300 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 sponsor, DriverFacts, TCA is able to showcase outstanding drivers like Mr. Day.