Goodyear nominates four Highway Hero finalists

AKRON, Ohio — Three truck drivers who battled flames to save people in burning vehicles and one who came to the rescue of a cop after a drug deal gone bad are this year’s finalists for Goodyear’s 24th annual North America Highway Hero Award.

Elizabeth Pavlista, of Miami, Ariz.; Edward Regener, of Perres, Calif.; Richard Miner, of Phoenix; and Marlon Marum, of Burnsville, Minn.; were named finalists today for trucking’s most prestigious award for heroism.

Having two drivers from one city — in this case, Phoenix — has never happened before. Equally unique, three of the accidents occurred in Arizona.

Journalists from the trucking industry are now voting on the four finalists, who will be introduced March 22 at the Mid-America Trucking Show in Louisville, Ky. One driver will be named the 2006 Goodyear North America Highway Hero at the Truck Writers of North America annual banquet and receive a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond, a plaque and a specially designed ring.

Elizabeth Pavlista, a driver for B.J. Cecil Trucking Inc., was hauling her daily load of rock on an end-dump truck, when a car passed her, lost control and rolled down an embankment.

The car rested upside down and on fire. Risking her own life, the six-year truck driver struggled to pull a large woman from the burning car. Pavlista helped another man operate the fire extinguisher amid popping sounds coming from the car. Just as the car fuel tank exploded, they managed to pull the woman farther from the flames.

Edward Regener of FedEx Freight saved the lives of three men in a three-vehicle collision on Interstate 10 near Goodyear, Ariz.

A car collided with a pickup truck with such force that the two vehicles struck Regener’s truck, which was carrying hazardous, corrosive materials.

Fire erupted and Regener’s shipment accelerated the flames and added to the toxicity of the smoke. Regener immediately worked to remove two men from the car and a man and woman from the pickup truck before the fire spread farther.

Regener was later transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation. A passenger in the pickup truck later died from her injuries.

Richard Miner, also of Phoenix and a driver for Saia Motor Freight, saved a young woman’s life when another truck pulled into the passing lane and forced a car into the median. The car rolled several times and landed upside down. Miner was the only person to stop to offer assistance.

The car burst into flames and Miner ran to it and used his fire extinguisher to put out the fire and somehow was able to pry open the car door and pull the woman to safety.

Marlon Marum, of Burnsville, Minn., a driver for Con-way Freight, was making deliveries in downtown Minneapolis when he witnessed a Metro Transit police officer under attack by a man who was attempting to wrest control of the officer’s handgun.

The officer said he had observed two men allegedly engaged in an illegal drug transaction and approached the men. One became unruly and they struggled as the officer used his stun gun to no effect.

Marum pulled to the curb and sounded his air horn to draw attention to the altercation. He then ran to help the officer, who was pinned to the ground by the suspect inside a glass bus shelter. Marum grabbed the man’s arms even after the stun gun was used again.

Marum, the officer and the suspect all received the shock. Finally, the officer was able to regain control of his weapons and the suspect.

For more on the program, go to:
www.goodyear.com/truck/whatsnew/heroes.html


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