Social Responsibility

Scott was on I-10, coming into Louisiana during a rainstorm back in late June. He noticed a small car that drove up ahead of him begin to lose traction. Then, within seconds, it started to hydroplane and began rolling over. Instantly, Scott called 911 and ran to the scene to help. An elderly couple were involved in the crash and both were frightened and in shock. Scott helped them both out of the car and held the ladies hand trying to calm her down after this traumatic experience. He waited with them until paramedics arrived. The couple’s son called Melton to thank Scott for his kindness and quick actions. We are proud to have Scott on our team and thank him for this selfless act!

Stephen was driving on I-10 coming into Louisiana from Texas at Exit 4. A truck in front of him drifted off the road with his steer tire and the driver overcorrected trying to get back on the road. The shoulder was very soft and the truck overturned. Stephen served in the Military for 4 years and was a Police Officer for 6 years before coming to Melton. He used the skills he learned and sprung into action. Stephen first blocked the highway with his truck and then got out to help the driver and his wife get out of the truck. He used his ratchet bar to bust the windshield to help them to safety. Stephen says he carries foil blankets in case of emergencies; he never thought he would use them, but he did that day. He said when you see things like this happen, don’t panic and stay calm. If you are calm, you can think and process. If you are in a panic, you can’t think straight. Thank you for your heroic act, Stephen. Without you, our highways would be a lot less safe!

Driver Paul Annen has been named a Melton Blue Angel recipient! Paul is a U.S. Navy veteran and joined the Melton team nearly five years ago. Since then, he has been one of our top performing drivers and is an excellent Road Trainer for us. This past week, Paul and his trainee came across a burning truck in Arkansas. Paul jumped in to help extinguish the fire while others stood watching. Drivers soon brought Paul their extinguishers to help fight the flames until the fire department arrived. He managed to slow the damage and influence others to help in the process.

Paul did mention that he would like this situation to serve as a reminder for drivers to know their equipment. Learning to properly operate an extinguisher could save equipment and even save lives. Thank you, Paul, for your willingness to help others without a second thought. We are so proud to have you on the Melton team!

Chris H. came upon a wreck that a involved a mother and her child. The mother supposedly swerved and slowed down to miss a tire sitting on the road. However, the semi-truck behind her couldn’t stop in time and ultimately crashed into them. It pushed her and the baby into a ditch. Chris was not far behind and saw the wrecked car. He immediately stopped to help. He first helped the woman out of the driver side and then started prying metal off the car to get the baby who was still trapped. Once they finally got the child out, it was surprising and amazing that it had no outward injuries besides a busted lip and the mother was pretty beat up but moving around fine. The mother when she saw her baby was okay, showed the driver who hit them, and he fell to his knees in tears over the ordeal. Chris’s actions were extremely admirable, and we are so thankful he was there to help.

Melton Truck Lines would like to recognize our driver, Michael Holland, for his amazing act of bravery on May 24th, 2020. Michael and his son were rolling into Monroe County, south of Detroit, when he approached a red light. In front of him, he assumed there was a routine traffic stop taking place. Then, things took a turn for the worse. Michael was confused when the guy being pulled over started to run away. He then heard four or five gunshots ring out, and suddenly, another person gets out of the car and starts running away. Michael was immediately concerned when he could no longer see the officer. He told his son to take cover, and then Michael proceeded to block off the intersection. After that, he rushed over to check on the officer who was laying on the ground. She’d been shot twice! The officer had no backup present, so Michael quickly grabbed the officer’s radio to call for help, all while maintaining pressure on her gunshot wounds. The officer was taken to the hospital, and she is doing okay now. Michael said after everything happened, he went back to his truck where his son was, and they watched a comedy movie on Netflix to lighten the mood. When we asked why he acted so quickly in such a dangerous situation, Michael replied, “I wasn’t thinking clearly. The only thing on my mind when running out there was making sure that officer was okay.” Michael displayed a true act of heroism that day, and it is drivers like him who make Melton great!

Kris was headed north on I-45 driving like any normal day when he and his trainee came across another truck that was on fire. Without hesitation, Kris stopped and tried to put the fire out with the fire extinguisher he had on his truck. He was able to save the cab of the truck, but unfortunately, the trailer was lost to the fire. A few minutes later, the Fire Department showed up and started helping. This heroic action by Kris is what has earned him a place in our very special Blue Angels club. Kris, thank you for offering a helping hand to someone in need. We are proud to have you on the Melton team!

Our driver, Richard Rubio, was driving down the road like any normal day when he suddenly came across an accident scene where he found another semi laying on its side. Richard and another man quickly got the injured driver out of the tractor by prying open the front windshield with a crowbar Richard had. When Richard first came across the scene, there were already several others around, but they were just videoing what was happening. Richard’s first instinct was to get out and help the driver who was still in the tractor, and he knew he had to move quickly because he could smell fuel leaking out. For Richard’s bravery in the face of such a frightening situation, we would like to honor him with recognition as a Melton Blue Angel! We would like to personally extend Richard a huge THANK YOU for going above and beyond in helping a fellow driver in crisis. We are so proud of you!

We are proud to feature our professional driver and proud member of the United States Army, Reuben Roy, today. You may recall our post about Reuben a few months ago when we surprised him with one of our Military Pride trucks. Since then, Reuben has driven around the country representing Melton and also continues his service in the United States Army. Now, Reuben has once again amazed us with his generosity and desire to serve others.

Reuben and his family are long-time residents of New Orleans, Louisiana. The recent devastation from Category 4 storm, Hurricane Laura, has left his community battered. Having memory of serving overseas during Hurricane Katrina and feeling helpless when it came to protecting his parents, family, and friends at that time, Reuben was insistent on giving back.

He connected with the Executive Director of the Tacoma Recovery Center and organized providing supplies such as generators, water, bedding, and other essential items to the New Orleans area. Melton was more than willing to sponsor the delivery of the load. Rueben’s brother works in the Washington area as an owner-operator and was able to pick up the supplies most conveniently. Our sister company, Melton Logistics, played a key role in coordinating the load, and, in a family effort, Reuben and his brother worked as a team to deliver the supplies from Tacoma, Washington to Lake Charles, LA.

We’re incredibly grateful for all who played a role in making this relief effort a reality. Thank you to Reuben for your generosity, the Tacoma Recovery Center for contacting us with this opportunity, Melton Logistics for coordinating the freight, and all who played a hand in helping rebuild the New Orleans area.

For Reuben’s continual service to others and coordination of this relief effort, we have also chosen him as our newest Melton Blue Angel. This program was designed for us to recognize and distinguish drivers who have gone the extra mile. We are honored to have Reuben on the Melton team.

Celebrating our Blue Angel, Aaron Desilva, for the compassion and quick thinking he showed last week. Aaron and his wife, Tiffany, were driving east on I-40 through Memphis, Tennessee when another semi hit a small car. The car flipped upside down and slid down the interstate right in front of them. Meanwhile, the semi that hit this car didn’t even stop to see if the person was ok. Aaron quickly stopped, told Tiffany to call 911, and ran over to help the person out of their vehicle. The first responders showed up and after the person was checked he called his mom. Justin, the person in the accident, handed Tiffany the phone with his mom still on the call and his mom asked if she and Aaron would wait with him until she and her husband got there. When Justin’s mom showed up, she went right up to Tiffany and started hugging her. Justin seems to be doing ok now. Thank you, Aaron and Tiffany, for showing compassion to a complete stranger!

Daniel Worm was driving in east of Louisville, Kentucky. He was approaching a standstill in road construction. Then noticed a vehicle had lost control. When the vehicle lost control, he sadly witnessed a small child get ejected from the vehicle. As soon as he saw the wreck Daniel acted fast. Daniel has 21 years of Fire and EMS experience, so went to work. He saw the Dad was pinned in the vehicle. Brother was 8 years old and laying on the ground getting help by another civilian. Though, the young daughter was in the most critical condition with severe head trauma. Immediately he started helping the young nine-year-old girl with her injuries and prepping her for medics to arrive. She didn’t know what happened during this situation and he talked to her to make sure she stayed awake. Shortly, a trauma doctor responded to the scene along with EMS. They were all amazed and thankful for Daniel’s help!

On February 15, 2023, a driver at the Flying J in Oklahoma City suffered a stroke. Ty was quick to action by calling emergency services, then calling the driver’s wife to let her know what was happening. He stayed with the driver until help arrived and remained on the phone with his wife, allowing her to talk to her husband. It is because of Ty’s actions that the driver is doing better and will recover. The driver’s wife contacted Melton to express her gratitude to Ty.

Ken was driving down a highway in Illinois when he noticed the Jeep in front of him had small flames coming out from underneath. He started trying to get their attention. Once the Jeep driver noticed the issue, they immediately pulled over and Ken parked just a bit in front of them. As the flames began to grow quickly, he ran over to the Jeep to help a young woman and two children out of the car . He was even able to get a few personal items out as well. Ken ran back to get the fire extinguisher in his truck and was able to extinguish the engine fire, but sadly, it already reached the inside compartment. He called 911 and they arrived to clean up the scene and make sure the fire was completely out. He empathized with the family in the car as they were traveling to see family for the 4th of July, but he was thankful to be there to help as much as he could.

While driving through Wyoming, Ebern witnessed a frightful crash where an SUV hit black ice and started flipping down the median. Ebern immediately pulled over to assist the driver in distress trying to break open his own window. He grabbed a prybar and a pair of gloves from his truck and rushed to the scene. He used the prybar to breakout out the windshield and helped the driver out of the vehicle. Then quickly led him over to his Melton truck and out of the freezing cold weather. Once in the car, he called 911 and waited for their assistance. When asked what encouraged Ebern to do such a courageous act without hesitation, he responded that he had been committed to helping others in need from his last time in the military to his many years in the trucking industry.

Perry W. witnessed a terrifying car accident while driving in Virginia en route to Pennsylvania. Perry first saw an SUV pull out in front of a cattle truck just up the road. To avoid a collision, the cattle truck swerved but, unfortunately, collided with a van, causing both vehicles to lose control. Perry acted swiftly, stopping traffic behind him, and rushed to assist those involved. He went to the van first, as it had turned sideways, while dodging the cattle that gotten loose. Once he reached the van, he noticed it was smoking and knew he had to act quickly. He climbed on the van’s side and used his upper body strength to pull a mom and her daughter through the passenger door.

He stayed with the pair to help keep them calm and collected as they waited for emergency teams to arrive. He also checked on the gentleman driving the cattle truck, as he was also shaken up. However, it appeared everyone was okay, only sustaining minor injuries. The only casualties were some of the cattle from the initial crash.

After the accident, the mother and daughter from the van sent messages to Perry showing sincere appreciation for helping in this frightening situation! We are extremely thankful for Perry’s bravery, kindness, and strength in such a chaotic and devastating ordeal. He’s a true representative of Melton and the values we uphold.

Around 8:15 on March 29th, Jonathan was nearing Birmingham, AL, when he came upon a wreck involving two cars. One car was turned all the way around, and the other car was in the median. Both vehicles appeared to be totaled. Jonathan quickly parked his truck to help block traffic and called 911. Then, Jonathan left his truck to assist both parties, ensuring everyone was safe and out of the vehicles. Once they were in a safe spot, he spoke to them about injuries, and relayed any pertinent information to police and EMS once they arrived. We love that Jonathan reacted selflessly in this situation and offered a hand to those who needed it most! 

Charles W. and his trainee Amon H. were purchasing items for a load at a shop in Illinois. As they were checking out items, a fellow shopper collapsed without warning, striking his head on a nearby counter. Without hesitation, Charles sprang into action, grabbed the gentleman as he fell, and prevented further injury. Assessing the situation, he noticed the man started having convulsions and was unconscious. Charles, a Military veteran, used his previous medical skills to assist by grabbing a pillow and turning the man into a safe position where his airways would remain open and began taking his pulse. Then immediately he called 911 to get help and address what was happening. Once the medics arrived, he helped lift the man on the stretcher.

His quick actions gained praise from both the store staff and the medical responders. Amon, Charles’s trainee, was awestruck with Charles’s assertiveness and ability to stay calm under immense pressure. Melton is also beyond impressed by Charles’s heroic act in helping save this gentleman’s life!

Thomas was driving through Missouri on July 9th, 2024, when he spotted a car flipped on its side along the highway, smoke billowing out. He had no idea what happened, but knew he couldn’t just drive by. He immediately got out of his truck and broke the car windshield revealing 4 people who had been trapped inside for an unknown amount of time. He was able to help each one get out and away from the car, as Thomas feared it could catch fire or explode soon. Thankfully, that fear never came to pass while he was there, and soon after fire trucks and an ambulance arrived. Thomas was extremely humble and believed it was simply the right thing to do. In those intense moments, Thomas showed incredible bravery and an unwavering desire to help others in need.

While driving in Texas, Jacob Bristlin noticed a truck ahead suddenly slam on its brakes, creating a chain reaction with other nearby semis. Unfortunately, a log truck couldn’t stop in time and veered into a ditch, flipping over to avoid a collision.

Without hesitation, Jacob pulled over to assist. He quickly reached the log truck driver and helped him out of the wreckage, checking to see if he was okay. Noticing that the driver had hit his head quite hard, Jacob remained by his side until emergency services arrived on the scene. We are grateful for Jacob’s courage during this scary and stressful incident.

While driving in Alabama at 2 a.m. to deliver a load, Landen encountered a semi-truck stopped in the middle of the road and was unsure why. However, as he maneuvered around it, he noticed a car that appeared to be severely damaged from a recent crash. Realizing the potential danger of low visibility on a busy highway, he quickly pulled over to the shoulder and began diverting oncoming traffic with his headlamp to prevent further accidents.

Landen then went to check on the driver of the wrecked car. Although the driver seemed to be okay, he was visibly shaken and had lost his phone in the crash. Landen generously offered his phone so the driver could call his fiancé. He stayed at the scene, assisting the driver and providing support until law enforcement arrived. We appreciate Landen’s quick response and actions to help those in need!

While on a phone call, John P. noticed another Melton driver had gotten his leg caught in a wire and had fallen to the ground. The driver appeared to be in pain, so realizing the severity of the situation, John immediately rushed to his aid. In addition to the potential injuries from the fall, John was concerned about the extreme heat in the steel yard, which could make the injured driver’s condition much worse. John noticed the driver had a trainee, so they worked together to get him off the hot ground and into a chair.

John then quickly informed the shipper and called for an ambulance. The injured driver was taken to the local hospital, and in the meantime, John and the trainee secured and tarped their loads. Despite having his own urgent home time needs, John secured the driver’s truck and belongings, arranged a repower for the load, and continued the trainee’s training on his own truck. He also made sure to bring supplies to Joel at the hospital.

John’s quick thinking, military background, and selflessness likely saved his fellow coworker from further harm! We are so appreciative of his actions!