Bobby Edney Seeks Help, Springs Into Action To Aid Elderly Motorist Trapped In Mangled Vehicle

The Truckload Carriers Association has named Bobby Edney, a professional truck driver with Carroll Fulmer Logistics Corporation of Groveland, Florida, a Highway Angel for helping an elderly motorist after he blew a tire, veered off road into heavily-wooded area.

On the afternoon of May 10, 2020, Edney was carrying a load down I-77 South in Refugio, Texas. He was traveling in the right lane and noticed a black Lexus sedan traveling to the left of him.  As the driver of the sedan sped up to pass Edney, the motorist blew a tire and spun out of control. Edney shared with TCA that the driver must have hit his breaks, causing him to shoot across the highway in front of his truck. Edney watched as the motorist slammed into a brick wall then veering off into the woods.    

“I hit the shoulder and called 911,” Edney shared with TCA. “I then went looking for the car but couldn’t see it in the woods. When I finally saw the car, I took a hammer and knocked the windows out.” 

What seemed like hours later, emergency personnel arrived and used a chainsaw to cut trees from around the car, and then used the Jaws of Life to extract the driver. They put him on a stretcher and hurried him to the ambulance. Edney noticed the driver was an older man with a handicapped sticker on rear view mirror. 

“If I wouldn’t have stopped, nobody would have known he was off in the woods. I saved a man’s life is what I did,” Edney shared proudly. “Thank God he didn’t blow his tire beside me because he would have rolled my truck as well, which was fully loaded with a delivery.  And if I wouldn’t have been paying attention and slammed on my breaks in time, I would have gone over the top of the sedan.  The good Lord was with both of us that day.” 

Edney has been driving a truck for more than 35 years and says it’s all he knows how to do. He is based out of West Monroe, Louisiana, which he was quick to share is where the television show Duck Dynasty is based. He shared with TCA that when he’s not driving, he likes to ride his motorcycle, fish, cookout, and go camping.  

For his willingness to assist a fellow driver, TCA has presented Edney with a certificate, patch, lapel pin, and truck decals. His employer has also received a certificate acknowledging their driver as a Highway Angel.

Since the program’s inception 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.

The program is made possible by Presenting Sponsor, EpicVue, and Supporting Sponsors, DriverFacts and Drivers Legal Plan.