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The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named truck driver Tony Doughty, from Greenville, Texas, a Highway Angel for stopping to administer first aid to two injured drivers after witnessing a severe crash. Walker, a 15-year trucker, drives for Bay & Bay Transportation in Eagan, Minnesota.
It’s an incredible story: On October 27, 2022, around 10:00 am, Doughty was driving eastbound on Interstate 40 near Albuquerque, New Mexico, when he witnessed an accident on the opposite side of the highway. A red Chevy car hit a white Jeep and crashed into the concrete barrier, driving approximately 70 miles per hour. The Jeep flipped.
“I jumped out of the truck and grabbed my EMT bag,” Doughty said. “I’ve been a volunteer firefighter for a long time.”
Just as he was about to cross the highway to get to the crash site, a police officer who just happened to be driving by stopped, when discovering Doughty’s first responder background, he said, “You’re coming with me, buddy!” and the men ran to the crash scene.
The driver of the red Chevy, a man in his 30s, has a broken leg, so Doughty—a volunteer firefighter for 12 years—put a splint on it until emergency personnel arrived. The driver claimed to be either withdrawing or overdosing on fentanyl and methadone.
“I got him kind of stable,” Doughty said, then he checked on the Jeep driver, an 18-year-old girl who did not sustain a serious injury.
“She was still flipped over on the road,” he said. “I ran over to the Jeep and got the young lady out.”
Doughty and the police relayed the vitals of the crash victims and stayed on the scene until the ambulance departed. As a driver with over 2,000,000 safe driving miles, he’s always ready to offer aid during accidents.
“I wear two hats,” Doughty explained, “I’m wired to stop and help in situations like this.”
Since the program’s inception in August 1997, they have recognized nearly 1,300 professional truck drivers 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 can showcase outstanding drivers like Mr. Doughty.
You can access the Highway Angels website at https://www.truckload.org/highway-angel/.