ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) is naming truck driver Alexander Smith a TCA Highway Angel for stopping to help during a horrific crash in the middle of the night in Oklahoma.
Smith drives for Melton Truck Lines out of Tulsa, Okla.
On June 18, at approximately 2:00 a.m., Smith was driving westbound on I-44 in heavy rain. A car passed him, then passed the semi in front of him. He witnessed the car hydroplane and lose control. The vehicle flipped and spun multiple times before finally landing on the shoulder of the highway.
“I realized the guy was doing flips — he was doing them right in front of the other semi,” Smith said, noting that the other truck did not stop, even though he had to have seen the crash. Smith immediately slowed down to create space between his truck and the wrecked car. He then pulled over, got out, and rushed to check on the driver.
“There’s No Way this Guy is Alive”
“He landed right side up in the ditch,” Smith said. “All the airbags were deployed. Honestly after watching what happened I thought there’s no way this guy is alive.”
When he reached the vehicle, the driver had some visible cuts and scrapes but was conscious.
“The guy was just sitting there looking at me,” Smith said. “Obviously he was in shock, but the first thing he said to me was, ‘Can you help me find my phone?'”
Smith asked if he was okay, helped him out of the car to safety, and called 911.
The young man was clearly shaken and had suffered minor injuries, but thankfully, nothing serious. He was deeply grateful that Smith had been there to help.
“I stopped because I was there,” he said. “Who else was gonna do it? I believe that you’re put in places for a reason.”
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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.
