California Goodyear Highway Hero Saves Lives in Arizona
23 March 2007 - 9:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
LOUISVILLE, Ky., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Goodyear's 24th North
America Highway Hero Edward A. Regener, of Perris, Calif., escaped
one fire and jumped into another to save the lives of two men
trapped in their burning car. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050204/GTLOGO ) The FedEx
Freight truck driver scrambled from the passenger door of his
damaged cab; a burning pickup truck was lodged against his driver's
door, blocking an easy exit. To make matters worse, his twin
trailers contained hazardous materials that would contribute to the
spread of a toxic fire. Incredibly, thanks to Regener and some
other motorists, all lives were saved. Regener, a 13-year veteran
truck driver, was named the 2006 Highway Hero here on Thursday
night. His quick thinking on Interstate 10 near Phoenix on Nov. 4,
2006, assuredly saved his life and the lives of two men who caused
the tragic accident. The 43-year-old truck driver was headed east
on I-10 when he said he saw a westbound car headed his way across
the median. At the same time, a pickup truck carrying an engaged
couple was attempting to pass Regener. The speeding car collided
with the pickup, pushing it into Regener's truck. The car, resting
atop the guardrail, caught fire. Fire erupted in the pickup and
quickly spread to Regener's cab and the truck's first trailer,
which contained drums of battery acid. With intense flames at the
driver's door, Regener said he exited the passenger door and ran to
the blazing car that caused the accident. He said he struggled to
open the car doors, which were pressurized by the heat. He finally
dislodged the passenger door until the fire forced him to the
driver's side. The car's contents -- the dash, back seat -- "were
mashed together." The driver and another man were both in the
passenger seat, "wedged in among the broken seats and smashed
contents." Kneeling in the car, braving the intense heat and
breathing thick smoke, Regener said, "I ripped the inside of the
car apart and started throwing pieces outside until I could he
reach the two men. And then one by one, I handed them to other
motorists." Police said alcohol and excessive speed contributed to
the accident. Regener's hazardous materials load -- paint was in
the second trailer -- helped the fire spread faster in his truck.
David Cooper, of Buckeye, Ariz., who also was passing Regener's
truck and saw the car heading across the median, stopped his
vehicle ahead of the accident and ran back to assist the pickup
driver and his fianc�e. Cooper, who thought Regener had perished in
the fiery crash, said he was overwhelmed to find him alive and
talking with Arizona state police officers. Regener was treated and
released at a local hospital for smoke inhalation. Regener, only
the second FedEx driver selected for the top award, also received a
$10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and a specially designed Goodyear Highway
Hero ring during the Mid America Trucking Show here. Charles
Ingram, a Jackson, Ga., driver for FedEx Ground, was named the 2002
North America Highway Hero. Peter Christoffersen, general manager
of marketing for Goodyear commercial tire systems, said, "Too
often, we only hear criticism about trucks and drivers, but that's
not our view of the trucking industry. We know that most drivers
are hardworking, safe and courteous. And in the cases of Ed Regener
and the three Highway Hero finalists, these drivers stopped to help
others without regard for their own lives." "They're all heroes in
our book," Christoffersen added. Founded by The Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Company in 1983, the Highway Hero program recognizes
professional truck drivers and the often unnoticed, life- saving
rescues and roadside assistance they provide as their jobs take
them across North America. The other Highway Hero finalists
included: -- Elizabeth Pavlista, of Miami, Ariz., driver for B.J.
Cecil Trucking Inc. - Pavlista rescued a woman from her burning car
after it rolled down an embankment on Arizona 177 on Aug. 8. The
woman died from her injuries. -- Richard Miner, of Phoenix, driver
for Saia Motor Freight - Miner saved a woman's life when her car
crashed, rolled and burned in the Interstate 10 median near Phoenix
on Sept. 28. -- Marlon Marum, of Burnsville, Minn., driver for
Con-way Freight - Marum saved a Metro Transit police officer who
was attacked by a drug suspect in downtown Minneapolis on Oct. 6.
For more on Goodyear's Highway Hero program and to nominate a truck
driver for the 25th anniversary of the award, go to
http://www.goodyear.com/truck/whatsnew/hero_overview.html.
DATASOURCE: The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company CONTACT: Dave
Wilkins of The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, +1-330-796-3758,
Web site: http://www.goodyear.com/
http://www.goodyear.com/truck/whatsnew/hero_overview.html
Copyright