TCA Pulls Freeway Angel Honor – Drivers

The Truckload Carriers Affiliation has revoked a Freeway Angel award after it was reported that what a driver mentioned was a human trafficking incident he foiled was really a household whose youngsters have been sleeping at the back of a pickup truck.

As HDT reported based mostly on a TCA information launch, a driver solely recognized by his first identify, Michael, was at a darkish relaxation cease simply off I-10 round 1 a.m. June 18 in a border state. A white pickup truck with a tarp and cage pulled up in entrance of him and a girl bought out of the truck and went round to the again of it and, within the driver’s phrases, took a padlock off of the cage and pulled out three or 4 little women and “compelled the children into the restroom.”

The driving force known as the police, in line with the discharge, and informed TCA that the police mentioned a number of of the kids had been reported lacking and that there have been extra youngsters within the cage. 

Nevertheless, a “Lead Tales Truth Examine” story mentioned when it checked with the New Mexico State Police, they have been informed that this story was not appropriate; that it was a mom and her 4 youngsters, not a human trafficking incident.

Apparently, whereas the driving force did consider he noticed a human trafficking incident and contacted the police, when the officer stopped the automobile, he discovered {that a} mom was touring together with her brother and her 4 youngsters from Mexico again to their residence in Arizona. Three of the kids have been within the mattress of the truck sleeping in a wood construction underneath a tarp. The mom was given seatbelt citations for having the kids unrestrained at the back of the truck.

In an announcement, the Truckload Carriers Affiliation mentioned, “TCA’s Freeway Angels program acknowledges truck drivers who’ve gone out of their approach to assist others and save lives on the highway, and we understand their impression on the business and communities throughout the nation. We have been disenchanted to listen to of the illegitimacy of a narrative which we reported on August 16 regarding an incident alongside I-10 with skilled driver Michael and have revoked his Freeway Angel title. We wish to defend the integrity of those vital awards and are actively working to make sure the legitimacy of future Freeway Angels’ tales.”