JULIAN KACZOR NAMED TCA HIGHWAY ANGEL FOR PULLING MOTORIST FROM BURNING CAR

02/08/2016
Alexandria, Virginia

Julian Kaczor of Utica, New York, a professional truck driver for Leonard’s Transportation, Inc., of Farmington, New York, has been named a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA). He is being recognized for saving a man from a burning car after it crashed.

In the early hours of July 2, 2015 Kaczor was driving south on I-95 in Jacksonville, Florida in a construction zone.  He was in the center lane when a car sped by him and near clipped his truck. A short distance later the car crashed into the road construction barriers and spun out of control finally coming to rest in the middle of the highway. Kaczor was immediately on the scene and ran to check on the driver. As Kaczor approached he noticed the car smoking and a fire starting under the hood. He quickly retrieved his fire extinguisher from his truck and started battling the fire, which was growing fast and was too much for his extinguisher alone. Kaczor knew he had to get the driver out of the car fast so he began to pry the crashed car door open with his bare hands.  “The driver had several large gashes on his forehead and there was blood everywhere” stated Kaczor.  He pulled the driver from the car and carried him about 15 feet away from the burning car, which was now engulfed in flames. Another truck driver had stopped to help and the two carried the injured man farther away to safety.  The other truck driver left before anyone could get his name and thank him for his help.

Kaczor has been driving a truck for 20 years and trucking runs in his family as his dad was also a professional truck driver. When asked about this incident he said, “I don’t consider myself a ‘hero’, I was just doing my job. It’s all about paying it forward.”

For his willingness to help, TCA has presented Kaczor with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck decal. Leonard’s Transportation, Inc. also received a certificate acknowledging their driver as a Highway Angel.