Trucker/Firefighter’s Quick Response Rescues Crash Victims
Accidents can happen, even when we least expect them. A young was driving her Jeep down I-40, near Albuquerque New Mexico when a red Chevy slammed in to her, flipped her over, then ran into a concrete barrier.
Luckily for her, Tony Doughty of Greenville, Texas was driving by in the opposite lane. Doughty is a 15-year veteran of the trucking industry with two million miles safe driving miles under his belt. But that’s not all. He admits, “I wear two hats…I’m wired to stop and help in situations like this.” Doughty has also been a volunteer firefighter for 12 years. So he slammed on the brakes to help. “I jumped out of the truck and grabbed my EMT bag.”
As Doughty ran across the highway divider, he ran in to a police officer also responding to the scene. The officer, who must have been struggling with which crash victims to treat first saw Doughty’s bag and said, “You’re coming with me, buddy!”
Doughty was able to treat the driver with a broken leg. He even had a splint ready, which he used to stabilize the victim. He stayed around to relay vitals of both victims to dispatch and wouldn’t leave until after the ambulance departed.
The Truckload Carriers Association has been naming “Highway Angels” for 25 years. These are truckers who go above-and-beyond the line of duty to protect other motorists. It proudly granted Doughty the well-earned award.
Next, find out about the police officer who sacrificed himself to save a trapped truck driver.
