IN DARKNESS, TEAM DRIVERS PREVENT TRAFFIC FROM HITTING SCENE OF ACCIDENT

01/09/2012
Alexandria, Virginia

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has added two professional truck drivers to its roster of Highway Angels: Jimmy Torres and Juan Varela, both of El Paso, Texas. The team drives for Stagecoach Cartage & Distribution, LP, also of El Paso.

On October 5, 2011, Torres and Varela were driving on Highway 277 near Eagle Pass, Texas. It was early in the morning and very dark on that particular stretch of highway. Suddenly, they came across a head-on collision between two tractor trailers.

They saw the accident just in time to come to a stop before hitting any of the vehicles involved in the crash.

Torres and Varela were the first people on the scene. They quickly got out of their truck to assess the situation. They found one driver bleeding from the mouth and wedged inside his cab, but were unable to remove him. They discovered another driver who had been thrown out of the cab and his partner, who was limping with an injured leg.

Varela called 911, and both of the drivers directed traffic around the accident scene with flashlights so no one else would hit the wreck. They also waited onsite until the authorities arrived.

“We were glad to be able to help out until the police arrived. It was very dark, and I’m pretty sure more accidents would have occurred as other motorists came upon the scene,” said Torres. “We were also glad to hear that all the drivers involved were ok.”

Since the program’s inception in August 1997, hundreds of drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for the exemplary kindness, courtesy, and courage they have displayed while on the job.