ARCADIA, Fla. — A Florida sheriff’s deputy leapt from his patrol vehicle onto a moving 18-wheeler to save a distressed driver — all while weaving through traffic on a busy highway.
According to a Facebook post from the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), Lt. Michael Bellflower was stopped at a light on June 14 along Highway 70 in Arcadia, Florida, when he noticed a cattle truck driving erratically.
Bellflower said the driver “was popping the clutch and hopping pretty bad.”
Bellflower maneuvered his patrol unit close to the slow-moving truck, then jumped on the fender and busted open the window, turning off the key while trying to guide the rig through heavy traffic.
The rig veered across the median into the westbound lanes, coming to a stop in the driveway of a business, according to the DCSO.
After the chaos ended, Bellflower realized that he knew the trucker.
“I just knew I had to help my friend. At that point, I wasn’t a cop anymore,” Bellflower told local news station NBC-2. “I can fix a couple cuts; I can’t fix losing him.”
When the driver came to, he didn’t know what had happened, said Bellflower, who suffered cuts and bruises during the ordeal.
The truck driver is reportedly recovering.
“I said, ‘I was trying to save your life, bud,’” Bellflower told NBC-2. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
The driver’s name hasn’t been released.
In the below video, Bellflower recounts his experience.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
CongratulTions Lt. Bellwether. You did yourself 8and your department proud. Your actions were above and beyond heroic. Most men would have never attempted to act in such a manner, but you did. I salute you! God bless you and the truck driver you helped.