A couple has been honored for aiding the driver of another truck and a passenger at the scne of an early moring crash in Iowa.
The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named David and Debra Beal, professional drivers for Boyle Transportation, TCA Highway Angels for their selfless response to a rollover crash near Davenport, Iowa.
TCA explains:
David and Debra BealAt about 3:06 a.m. Central time on Sunday, Aug. 30, the Beals were traveling eastbound on Interstate 280 when Debra saw a truck traveling in the opposite direction lose control.
“I saw him crossing the median and coming into our path, so I backed off, just not getting in his way,” Debra said. “And then when he came to a stop, he just rolled over on his side.”
Debra safely brought their vehicle to a stop and woke David, who was in the sleeper berth. He quickly got dressed and joined her at the crash scene while she called 911.
When the Beals reached the overturned truck, they found a man and woman inside. The truck was lying on its side, making it difficult for the occupants to get out. Complicating the situation, fuel was leaking from the vehicle.
“Normally you wouldn’t move somebody, but with the fuel leaking, we weren’t sure what was going to happen,” Debra said. “We’re like, we’ve got to get you out of here.”
David held open the truck’s door while the vehicle’s position made the rescue difficult. He extended his leg into the cab so the female passenger could grab his foot and pull herself up and out of the overturned truck. Another truck driver who stopped to help assisted the male occupant in getting out.
“She looked like she was very much in shock,” Debra said. “They weren’t, like, bleeding or anything, but they could have had internal stuff going on.”
The male occupant was holding his shoulder after he exited the truck. A law enforcement officer arrived while the Beals and another truck driver were helping the occupants out, and paramedics arrived shortly after the male occupant was safely removed.
The Beals remained at the scene until emergency responders took over.
Debra said the decision to stop was instinctive.
“I would hope if we flipped over, somebody would do that for us,” she said. “I would hope, you know, just leave us there.”
David and Debra have been professional truck drivers for approximately five and a half years and have been married for 37 years.
