ARTUR EXPRESS PROFESSIONAL TRUCK DRIVER EARNS HIGHWAY ANGEL WINGS FOR EXTINGUISHING CAR FIRE IN GRASSY MEDIAN
10/22/2021
Alexandria, Virginia
The Truckload Carriers Association has Donnell Harris, Jr., from Killeen, Texas, a Highway Angel for stopping to help extinguish a car fire off I-30 in the grassy median.
August 10 was a pretty normal day for Harris as he drove northbound on I-30 just outside Sulphur Springs, Texas. That is until he saw billowing smoke up ahead in the grassy median. “I thought it was a grass fire,” he shared with TCA. “But as I got closer I saw it was a Ford Mustang on fire.” The flames were coming from the front of the vehicle and were beginning to spread to the grass. Harris carefully moved to the left lane of the two-lane divided highway and pulled over as far as he could onto the shoulder. Thankfully, the car’s occupants, a mother and young girl, had escaped safely and waited a safe distance away.
Another motorist had stopped minutes earlier and was using a small extinguisher, but Harris could see it wasn’t enough to put out the blaze. “I grabbed my extinguisher and ran to help,” he said. Harris and the other motorist were able to keep the flames under control and prevent them from spreading. The fire department arrived on scene within five minutes and took over. Harris was soon back on his way, thankful that things turned out as well as they did.
Harris has been driving for six years and will soon celebrate his one-year anniversary with Artur Express.
For his willingness to assist, TCA has presented him with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck decals. His employer has received a letter acknowledging their driver as a Highway Angel.
Since the program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,300 professional truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for the exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage they have displayed while on the job.
Special thanks to the program’s Presenting Sponsor, EpicVue, and Supporting Sponsor, DriverFacts.