Highway Angel Rescued Trapped, Unconscious
Crash Victim in the Middle of the Night

04/03/2023
Alexandria, Virginia

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named Willie Kouneski, from Burkittsville, MD, a Highway Angel for stopping to rescue a trapped, unconscious car crash victim.  Kouneski works for ABF Freight out of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

It’s an incredible story: On March 2, 2023 around 1 a.m., Kouneski was traveling home from work on Route 70 in Sykesville, MD, when he witnessed a car crashed on the opposite side of the highway.

“I saw a car up in the trees, on the other side of the road,” he said. “I could tell it was a wrecked car— it was dark—people were just driving by.”

Kouneski and the driver of another vehicle stopped to check on the driver, and Kourneski called 911. It was hard to tell if anyone was in the vehicle, so I yelled, “Is anyone in there?”  He then heard a “Yes.” 

“We opened up the door— the other person took out a knife and busted out the back window and unlocked the back doors,” Kouneski said. “The guy in the front seat was leaning over, breathing weird; he had heavy breath, so we sat him up straight in the seat.”

He said the driver was unconscious and the airbag had been deployed. Kouneski stayed with him until emergency personnel arrived and he was taken away on a stretcher.

“If it was me in that car, I would want somebody to get me,” Kouneski said. “I did what I would want anybody to do.”

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 Ms. Crager.