The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. has named its 29th North America Highway Hero: a Tennessee-based truck driver who rescued a woman from a gun-wielding attacker.
Chosen from among four finalists, Mike Schiotis of Spring Hill, Tenn., accepted the 2011 Goodyear North America Highway Hero Award during the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), which is taking place this week in Louisville, Ky.
Schiotis, who works for Seville, Ohio-based Panther Expedited Services Inc., rescued the woman in Pennsylvania on Nov. 1, 2011.
“We are grateful to Mike Schiotis for his quick thinking and brave actions,” says Phillip Kane, vice president of Goodyear Commercial Tire Systems. “He literally put himself ‘in the line of fire,’ and in all probability, prevented a tragedy from taking place.”
Schiotis and three other truck drivers were selected as finalists for the 2011 North America Highway Hero Award. Other finalists included:
- John Crozman of Black Hawk, S.D., a driver for Long Haul Trucking in Albertville, Minn., who rescued an elderly couple in a severe snowstorm;
- Melville Farnell of Shelburne, Ontario, a driver for Tupling Farms Produce Inc., who pulled a much heavier motorist to safety just minutes before his car exploded;
- John Neumeier of Russia, Ohio, a driver for Bohman Trucking, also based in Russia, who rescued a driver from a car that sunk into a pond.
“Each of these finalists is a Highway Hero in his own right,” said Kane. “Each man rescued someone who was in life-threatening peril. We are honored to recognize these selfless gentlemen for their acts of courage and compassion.”
