Trucker Named Highway Angel After Rescuing Fellow Trucker from Overturned Rig

Photo: Highway Angels

A Georgia truck driver, Larry Barnes of Stockbridge, has earned recognition from the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) after coming to the rescue of a fellow trucker in need. Driving for ABF Freight out of Fort Smith Arkansas at the time, Barnes stopped and helped free another bobtail truck that had overturned on slippery roads – earning him the title as one of TCA’s Highway Angels.

The heroic tale unfolded in Wildwood, Florida on August 25th at around 1 AM as Barnes was driving on an offramp of the Florida Turnpike. He spotted an overturned truck off to his left and immediately sprang into action, grabbing gloves, a hammer, and a knife and raced towards the driver’s side of the vehicle to see if he could help.

The man inside seemed dazed but assured him that he was not injured.

“He was stuck in his seatbelt,” Barnes said, “I jumped down in the tractor.” Once inside, he cut the trapped driver’s seat belt so he could move, then climbed out of the truck and reached back in to pull the driver out of the tractor.

Once freed, the driver hesitated to jump to the ground.

“He was afraid of heights,” Barnes said, so he encouraged the driver by first jumping down and then reaching up to help catch the man as he jumped down. The moment Barnes got him out, emergency vehicles arrived.

The other driver thanked Barnes for coming to his aid and told him he was like an angel that appeared out of nowhere.

“I like to help people,” Barnes said.

Source: HighwayAngel