HERO OF THE HIGHWAY
A few months ago, DUANE LARGENT was entering Indiana as part of a run for our Crossville Inc account when he came upon the unexpected. Duane noticed a truck driver ahead of him who suddenly put on his brakes and pulled over to the shoulder. “I went to the left lane and started passing him,” recalls Duane, who has been with Averitt for about five years. “I got about halfway on his trailer, and he put his arm out of the window and it was covered in blood. That was an attention-getter.” It turned out the other driver had been shot by a passenger in a nearby SUV. Duane didn’t think twice, pulling over, calling 911 and giving assistance to the wounded man, who had suffered gunshot wounds to the neck and mouth. “He needed somebody immediately,” Duane says. “With nobody stopping, he would have bled out right there on the interstate in his seat. It was amazing what he was able to do for himself, pulling over, grabbing a towel to apply pressure on his neck. I did what I would hope anybody would do. Unfortunately, I was the only one who stopped for him. I did what I could do as fast as I could do it.” The man was transported by helicopter to a hospital, but Duane’s sense of duty didn’t stop there. Duane relayed information that the driver provided him to law enforcement, which led to an arrest just days later. Duane was also able to contact the driver’s niece, who provided updates Crossville Inc DRIVER Honored By National Organization For His Actions
Thanks to some quick thinking, DUANE LARGENT with our Crossville Inc account helped save the life of a shooting victim while on the road.
on his health. The driver is still in the midst of a long road to recovery, having gone through several surgeries. But Duane hopes to speak to him when he is able. Because of his actions, Duane was recently honored by the Trucking Industry Defense Association as its 2024 Hero of the Highway! Thank you, Duane, for your commitment to helping others and for giving lifesaving help to someone in need! For Duane, his response was simply the Golden Rule in action. “I would hope somebody would stop for me like I did,” Duane says. “If I ever got into a situation like that, I would want somebody to stop for me. People many times think, ‘I don’t want to get involved.’ But that’s somebody’s life. You need to do what you can.” T m
ALMOST 200 COMBINED YEARS OF SAFETY!
Dothan shuttle driver DEXTER CRAWFORD (right, pictured with Service Center Director Alan Jimmerson), celebrated 35 years of safe driving.
Cookeville shuttle driver DALE ROACH (right, pictured with Service Center Director Sammy Talent), was honored for 35 years of safe driving.
Dothan shuttle driver DONALD BOWMAN (left, pictured with frontline leader Daniel Metcalf) was recognized for 30 years of safe driving.
Tampa shuttle driver CASEY O’HERN recently achieved 30 years of safe driving.
Tupelo shuttle driver JIMMY ARMSTRONG (left), pictured with frontline leader Justin Water (right), was honored for 30 years of safe driving.
Cincinnati shuttle driver MITCH BOWEN (right), pictured with Service Center Director Darrell McComas (left), was recognized for achieving 25 years of safe driving.
COMMUNITY CHALLENGE matters
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