John Willoughby
reporter2@greenepublishing.com
If Shawn Stevens and Jeffrey Webb arrived 15 seconds later than they did to the scene of a semi-truck rollover, there might not have been a heroic tale to account for today. Undoubtedly, the mobile mechanics of Lee saved the life of a trucker.
On Friday, Oct. 2, smoke could be seen billowing atop the horizon across the county as first responders worked diligently to put out a blazing fire that had fully engulfed a semi-truck, trailer and the peanuts it was hauling.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the semi-truck was traveling westbound towards the interstate, when, for unknown reasons, the truck ran off the roadway and entered the east shoulder. The truck traveled along the shoulder for approximately 200 feet before the front bumper struck a concrete culvert.
After the collision, the semi-truck continued to travel north along the shoulder where it rolled on its passenger side. Madison County Fire Rescue, Madison Fire Department and other responding units received the call from dispatch around 1:42 p.m., arriving 12 minutes later.
Shawn Stevens recalled stopping at the intersection of County Road 255 on Midway Church Road, before driving to the truck which had already caught fire. Stevens and Webb jumped out of the vehicle, and while Stevens made contact with 911, it was learned that the truck driver was still in the cab of the truck.
Webb and another unknown individual already on scene approached the semi-truck and began dragging the injured truck driver from the disabled semi, mere seconds before a minor explosion sent the semi-truck up in smoke.
"I was in the Army. I was told never to leave a fallen soldier," said Webb, who assisted in pulling the injured truck driver to safety. "Even if he's not a soldier, you help who you can when they are in need … I'm not really looking for publicity for what I did. I just want the people of Madison to know that I am a good person and if I see someone in need, I can help. I will do what I can."
"We are a close community and we will do what we can to help," said Stevens.
The driver was transported by ambulance to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital with minor injuries, including lacerations to the head. Crews cleared the scene around 4:10 p.m., after firefighters spent hours ensuring the smoldering truck and peanuts were extinguished of any fire-producing heat.