Heroic Trucker Honored for Extinguishing Pickup Fire!
Kerry Netusil, a truck driver from Hawley, Pennsylvania, has been named a TCA Highway Angel after jumping into action to extinguish a burning pickup truck on the side of the road. The Truckload Carriers Association honored Netusil for his quick thinking and selfless bravery during. The incident happened which on April 22 in Archdale, North Carolina.
Netusil was traveling along Highway 85 when he noticed an older-model pickup truck pulled onto the shoulder on fire. The driver appeared to have no way to stop the flames from spreading, so Netusil sprung into action.
“I pulled over and ran back with my fire extinguisher,” Netusil told TCA. He quickly went to work suppressing the fire, which was later determined to have started when the pickup driver plugged in his cellphone. The blaze caused extensive damage to the vehicle, which was ultimately totaled, and left the driver with burn injuries to his hand. “The guy’s truck was totaled,” Netusil said. “And he definitely burned part of his hand in the fire.”
Netusil says his instincts kicked in—likely influenced by his family background. His grandfather and father were both firefighters, and that legacy of service clearly stuck with him. “I don’t like the idea of people losing stuff because I didn’t feel like pulling over,” he said. “It just doesn’t sit right with me.”
For his actions, the Truckload Carriers Association recognized him as one of its Highway Angels—a prestigious honor reserved for professional truckers who go above and beyond in moments of crisis.
Our hats go off to Kerry Netusil, a true example of the heart, courage, and professionalism that make truckers the backbone of the highway.
Read about other Highway Angels on The Mighty Trucker:
