An Arkansas-based truck driver, Zach Yeakley, has been honored for his heroic actions in saving victims at the scene of a massive collision in Missouri. Almost a year after the incident, the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and its Presenting Sponsor, EpicVue, named him the 2022 Highway Angel of the Year. Yeakley works as a professional truck driver for CFI, which is based in Joplin, Missouri.
Zach Yeakley, who resides in Batesville, Arkansas, was acknowledged on March 6, at TCA’s Annual Convention, which was held at the Gaylord Palms Resort. Yeakley was chosen for the recognition through a public vote.
While en route to West Memphis, Arkansas, on March 17, 2022, at approximately 8:15 a.m., Zach Yeakley had just entered Charleston, Missouri, after crossing the state border. He became aware of an accident ahead via his CB radio and saw a man wearing a safety vest, signaling drivers to be careful due to the accident. He also noticed smoke rising from the site.
The scene was a fire-filled, chain-reaction crash in dense fog that involved more than 45 vehicles. Yeakley immediately pulled over and jumped into action. “I went up there; they already had a couple people out,” he said. “Some people had some broken arms, one had a collapsed lung, a few broken ribs from the impact.”
Zach Yeakley is a 15-year member of the Army National Guard, trained as a combat lifesaver, which enabled him to evaluate the severity of the situation promptly. Upon arriving at the scene of the accident, he surveyed the area, so he could update the paramedics when they arrived. The crashed vehicles were on fire, and the fire was spreading quickly, causing tires to explode all around them.
“There was one guy trapped in his truck,” he said. “So me, a sheriff, a state trooper, and a FedEx driver, we did what we could to get him out.” Yeakley and the group were able to pry the dashboard off another trapped crash victim and rescue him from his vehicle. The flames, he said, were surrounding them. Once the crash victim was rescued from his truck, Yeakley and a sheriff ran back to the scene to try to rescue the driver of a car trapped between a truck and a trailer, also surrounded by flames.
During the incident, Zach Yeakley aided in the rescue of six individuals from various vehicles involved in the collision. The police reported at least six fatalities resulting from the fiery crash. Yeakley, who has been driving trucks for four years, stated that he would not hesitate to help drivers in the same situation again. He credits his military training for preparing him for such experiences.
“Thank you for your selfless act of courage that morning,” said EpicVue CEO Lance Platt after presenting Zach with a personalized crystal truck.
In addition to being named the 2022 Highway Angel of the Year by the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and its Presenting Sponsor, EpicVue, Zach Yeakley will receive a complimentary EpicVue satellite TV package. This package includes a 24-inch flatscreen TV, a DVR, and a one-year subscription to over 100 channels of DIRECTV programming, including premium channels such as HBO, Cinemax, Showtime, and the NFL Sunday Ticket.
TCA’s Highway Angel program has been recognizing professional truck drivers who have provided selfless aid while on the job since 1997. Each year, one driver is selected as the Highway Angel of the Year, representing the essence of the program. This individual exemplifies the core principles of the program, highlighting the important role that truck drivers play in aiding others on the road.
