Trucker Named TCA Highway Angel for Extinguishing Car on Fire

Feb. 29th, 2024

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named truck driver Stephen Miller from Tifton, GA, a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to extinguish an extensive car fire.  Miller works for Hogan Transports, Inc out of Maryland Heights, MO. 

It’s an incredible story: On February 21, 2024 at 12:15 a.m., Miller was traveling southbound on I-75 in Punta Gorda, FL when a vehicle passed him at a high rate of speed. As they were traveling over a bridge near exit 164, the  vehicle in front of Miller crossed over a dip in the road. 

“The guy hit the dip and I thought he wiped out because there was a huge plume of smoke,” Miller said. “As I was coming through the smoke, I’m looking for a wrecked-out vehicle.” 

Miller continued driving and noticed the car in front of him with smoke, and then flames shooting out from underneath.  The driver of the inflamed car pulled over. Immediately, Miller safely pulled his truck over and grabbed his fire extinguisher. As other vehicles passed the scene, he sprang into action. 

“I jumped out and ran back there and shot the fire extinguisher underneath the car to see if I could get the fire out from there because that’s where it was coming from,” Miller said. 

 The fire wasn’t going out, so he asked the driver to pop the hood—then Miller deployed the rest of the fire extinguisher. The fire continued, so he ran back to his truck and grabbed the 40-pack of bottled water that he kept with him.  

“I got the fire out with the bottles of water,” said Miller, who has been driving a truck for 10 years. 

He stayed by the vehicle with the driver until first responders arrived. There were no injuries to the male driver and passenger from the vehicle. 

“I was raised if you see something, you help out if you can—we gotta look out for each other,” Miller said. 

Since the TCA Highway Angel program’s inception in August 1997, nearly 1,400 professional truck drivers have been recognized as TCA 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 Mr. Miller. 

The TCA Highway Angel website can be accessed at https://www.truckload.org/highway-angel/.