Last month, we told you about a trooper who barely survived after a fiery crash on Interstate 40. The officer was off on the shoulder doing paperwork in his vehicle when he was rear-ended by a truck driver who had apparently fallen asleep at the wheel. Officials have since launched an investigation regarding the driver responsible for the truck accident. And just this week, those who rendered aid to the officer were honored by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
A colonel who is the commander of the THP, along with deputy commissioners with the Department of Safety, presented certificates of recognition to five people on Monday. They include a Good Samaritan who was passing by when the crash occurred; paramedics who assisted at the scene; and two Knoxville Police Department officers. All were vital in saving the man’s life.
They all assisted in helping the officer immediately after the crash. They freed him from his vehicle as the fire spread inside. They probably saved him in the nick of time. At the ceremony, the THP commander said, “We just hope one day [the trooper] will be able to stand up here and thank them personally,” according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
The injured officer finally left intensive care last week. He is now recovering at a rehabilitation center. People are pulling together to help the man and his family pay his medical bills.
The truck driver, meanwhile, remains in prison. He is charged with reckless endangerment and aggravated vehicular assault.
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel, “THP honors those who came to trooper’s aid,” Matt Lakin, April 9, 2012