ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named Karl Scholl of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, as a Highway Angel for stopping to help a couple after their truck slid off an icy road into a ditch. Scholl is a driver for Bison Transport, headquartered in Winnipeg.
School was driving near Moyie, British Columbia, one December morning when he noticed other drivers flashing their lights, signaling that there was trouble up ahead.
“The roads were in poor condition from ice and snow,” he said. “As I crested a hill, I saw a black pickup towing a 12-foot U-Haul, in the ditch.”
Two people, a man and a woman, were standing on the narrow shoulder of the road. They had lost control on a patch of black ice, and their truck had crossed the center line and landed at an angle in the ditch. They had managed to climb out and make their way up to the road.
Scholl slowed as he approached the scene and then positioned his truck and trailer as a barricade to prevent other drivers from sliding into the motorists.
“I put on my safety vest and jumped out to check on the couple,” he said, adding that he also grabbed some traffic cones.
Although shaken and scared, the couple told Scholl they were OK and had already called for a tow truck. Scholl invited the couple, along with their two border collies, to wait in his truck and assured them everything would be fine.
He then set up traffic cones behind his truck to alert other drivers and began directing traffic in both directions to prevent additional accidents.
Once the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrived on scene, they let Scholl continue directing traffic. He stayed on scene for two hours until the couple’s truck and U-Haul were pulled from the ditch.
“I’m really glad that everyone stayed safe that day,” Scholl said.
In a letter to Bison Transport, the couple Scholl helped said that “not only did (Karl) help us on this very unpredictable and frightening morning, but he restored faith in our hearts that human kindness and caring goes a long way on a very cold December morning. Thanks to Karl, we have learned to ‘pay it forward,’ and we will always stop to lend a hand to those on the road in need. Thank you, Karl. We are forever grateful.”
TCA has presented Scholl with a Highway Angel certificate, patches, a lapel pin and truck decals. The company has also received a letter acknowledging its driver as a Highway Angel.
Since the Highway Angel began in August 1997, nearly 1,300 professional truck drivers have been recognized as Highway Angels for the exemplary kindness, courtesy and courage they have displayed while on the job.
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