ALEXANDRIA, VA. — Kenny Cass, a driver development instructor for FedEx Freight of Portland, OR., has been selected as The Truckload Carriers Association’s (TCA) Highway Angel of the Year.

Last March, Cass was driving along Martin Luther Blvd. in Portland when he saw a pick-up truck rear-end a tractor-trailer, wedging itself up to its windshield under the trailer.

Cass called 911, turned on his flashers, and moved his vehicle 50 yards behind the scene to warn oncoming traffic.

The pick-up driver, who was wearing a seatbelt, was bloody, disorientated, and talking on his cell phone. Cass told him to stay in the vehicle and wait for help.

Cass checked on the driver of the tractor-trailer who was in good health, but also disorientated. Vehicles would be flying towards the wreck, in the dark, at 55 mph, but Cass knew that her rig would be equipped with reflective triangles. As he placed the triangles around the wreck, he held them in front of his chest so no one would hit him.

Cass then noticed that smoke was coming from underneath the pick-up; he smashed the window, pulled the driver out — who was still on his cell phone — and got him to a safe place. Cass rushed back to the truck driver, helped her out, and grabbed her fire extinguisher.

Meanwhile, the pick-up truck driver, still in shock from the accident, began running toward oncoming traffic. Cass chased him down, got him to safety, and began applying bandages to the bleeding man as help arrived.

The incident lasted 20 minutes. And no other motorist stopped to help.

“Although this incident highlights one extreme occurrence, I have noticed that Kenny shows this type of assertiveness to help and support everyone he comes in contact with,” said Mike Harris, Cass’ service center manager at the FedEx facility in Portland. “He is well respected by all of his colleagues and students and definitely thinks of others before himself.”

A lot of “others” — 34,000 others, to be exact — will be thinking of Cass on December 15th when he’s honored at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho. Internet Truckstop and TCA will introduce Cass and share his story with the audience.

“I applaud the capable way he handled this event,” said Robert Low, TCA’s chairman and president and CEO of Prime, Inc. Low explained that Cass served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 24 years and that his experience helped him stay clam and act quickly during the stressful ordeal.

“He is an outstanding example of the many terrific people we have working within the trucking industry and is a true Highway Angel.”