A second career is certainly one of the most impressive things about trucking—and even more so when it includes heroics on the road. That’s the case for Dee Leatherwood, a retired rancher from Burnet, Texas, now behind the wheel for Melton Truck Lines in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has honored Leatherwood as a Highway Angel after he stopped to help extinguish a burning truck.
Leatherwood’s quick response took place on July 10 along an interstate just west of Atlanta. As smoke and sparks appeared beneath a Ford pickup, he acted immediately.
“All of a sudden it started smoking; he slammed on his brakes and got on the shoulder,” Leatherwood said. “As I’m easing by, I could see fire dripping down plastic that had caught fire.”
Seeing a child’s car seat in the back of the truck made the situation even more urgent.
“I looked at that car seat and luckily there wasn’t a baby in it,” he said. Despite being a grandfather and new to professional driving, he stayed calm. “I kept the fire as low as I could until the fire department arrived.”
Thanks to Leatherwood’s action, the driver walked away unharmed, and a nearby officer arrived shortly after to manage the rest.
Leatherwood reflected on his instincts: “I wasn’t worried about anything else other than if there was a little one inside that pickup truck. I would hope that anyone would do that in that situation, whether they had a fire extinguisher or not.”
Since its inception in 1997, TCA’s Highway Angel program has recognized nearly 1,500 truckers for their courage and goodwill on the highway. Programs like this are supported by presenting sponsor EpicVue, and supporting sponsors DriverFacts and Northland Insurance.
Image and Source: Truckers News
