ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) is naming truck driver Ashley Smith a TCA Highway Angel for stopping and trying to help victims of an early morning crash in Arizona.
Smith, who hails from Cisco, Texas, drives for Decker Truck Line out of Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Leaping into Action
On June 7 in Kingman, Ariz. around 2:15 a.m. on U.S. Hwy 93, Smith, a lease purchase operator, arrived at the scene of a crash shortly after it had occurred. A car with two men in it was driving the wrong way on the highway and crashed head-on into a car with a man, woman and three-year-old child. Demonstrating a high level of composure and professionalism, Smith safely positioned her vehicle, ensured her own safety, and jumped into action.
“I got out of the truck, I called 911,” Smith said. “The silver car basically started to catch fire and caught fire to the other one before anybody could get there.”
Risking Her Life for Strangers
Smith did her best to try to extinguish the fire and used her flashlight to try to alert drivers to the deadly crash, putting herself at risk directing traffic.
“I didn’t want somebody to hit the two cars that were there and in the process, I almost got hit by a semi that was not paying attention,” Smith said. “I had to dive off the highway.”
Sadly, all five people involved in the early morning crash were dead at the scene.
Unseen Hero
“Smith’s actions that day were not only selfless but went unspoken — she did not report the incident to her team,” TCA said. “It was only brought to light when law enforcement reached out to Decker Truck Line for possible dashcam footage. Trooper Miller specifically acknowledged Smith’s helpfulness in his follow-up, which highlighted her instinctive drive to serve and protect without seeking recognition.”
“I was just doing what I hoped anyone would do,” Smith said.
To read more stories about heroic truckers, click here.
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
