Chicory Calhoun, a driver with ABF Freight out of Fort Smith, Arkansas, has been recognized as a Highway Angel by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) for his quick thinking and actions in aiding a crash victim. This act of kindness demonstrated Calhoun’s commitment to the safety of all drivers on the road and serves as an inspiring example for others.
While driving on I-81 south in Carlisle, PA on January 31, 2023, Calhoun spotted a car that had rolled into a ditch and stopped to lend a helping hand. “I see debris—car parts flying in the left lane, the fast lane,” Calhoun said. As he slowed down, he saw a white car cross over several lanes and crash into a ditch on the side of the road, rolling over twice. Calhoun immediately pulled over and called 911.
“I grabbed my (safety) vest,” he said, as he ran to the crashed vehicle to check on the victim. Other motorists who stopped wanted to pull the female occupant out of the crashed car, but Calhoun noted the car was on a precarious edge and any slight movement of the vehicle could tip it over more and cause injury.
“It looked like it was gonna tilt back the other way,” he said. “I said let’s not try to take her out— her weight might tilt it over.”
Calhoun and fellow motorists who had stopped to help bravely held the vehicle in place until firefighters secured it and EMTs could help the crash victim.
“She had a bruise around her neck, I’m assuming from the seat belt,” he said. “I was talking to her; she was saying she had just gotten blood work drawn and she blacked out.”
Source: Highway Angel
