Brian Koppenhaver named TCA Highway Angel for crash rescue

The Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) has named Melton Truck Lines driver Brian Koppenhaver a Highway Angel for his actions after witnessing a crash on Interstate 70 in Ohio.

On July 30, Koppenhaver was traveling near West Jefferson, Ohio, when he witnessed a collision involving a semi-truck and a box truck. He immediately pulled onto the right shoulder and ran over to help.

Koppenhaver found that the box truck had been crushed and that its occupants had been injured. One of the occupants, a passenger named Mario, was trapped inside the wreckage. 

“When I got in there, Mario’s head was where the dash was supposed to be, and his feet were back toward where the cab of the truck was,” Koppenhaver said. “He wasn’t breathing. He was not responsive.”

Koppenhaver climbed into the vehicle, cut open Mario’s shirt, and began assessing him and attempting to stimulate a response. He said he was concerned about possible spinal and head injuries and tried to keep Mario’s neck as still as possible.

“I did a sternum rub and stuff like that. Got him somewhat conscious,” Koppenhaver said.

As Mario began moving, Koppenhaver called 911 to relay what he was seeing and request additional medical assistance.

Mario had suffered lacerations to his left arm, and both of his legs were pinned beneath the wreckage. Koppenhaver remained with him while emergency personnel made their way to the scene.

He also helped prepare rescuers for the difficult extrication. When emergency medical personnel arrived, he requested a cervical collar for Mario. Firefighters then began working to cut through the vehicle with the jaws of life.

Mario was freed from the wreckage and transported for emergency medical treatment. According to Koppenhaver, Mario remains hospitalized in intensive care and has suffered severe injuries, including the loss of both legs.

A U.S. military veteran and retired U.S. Postal Service employee, Koppenhaver brought experience, composure, and determination to a chaotic crash scene. 

Pilot commemorates more than $11M raised for the American Heart Association

Pilot is celebrating the positive impact its guests and team members have made over the last nine years, raising nearly $11.5 million in support of the American Heart Association. To celebrate this milestone, Pilot joined the Heart Association at its 2026 Greater Knoxville Heart Walk. 

Since 2017, Pilot has supported the Heart Association through annual in-store fundraising campaigns. Each year during Heart Month in February and Stroke Month in May, Pilot’s guests have turned routine fill-ups into funds by rounding up eligible purchases to the nearest dollar at checkout or purchasing a paper heart.

“At Pilot, our purpose is to show people they matter at every turn, and supporting the safety and wellness of our team members, guests, and surrounding communities through heart health and stroke awareness education is one of the most critical and meaningful ways we can live out that purpose,” said Adrienne Ingoldt, SVP of communications, risk, and procurement at Pilot and a member of the American Heart Association’s National Life is Why Council of Retailers. “Reaching this milestone reflects the generosity of our more than 30,000 team members and the 1.2 million guests who come through our doors every day. They truly are the heartbeat of this achievement.”

In the greater Knoxville area alone, Pilot’s support has helped expand CPR education and training to more than 200,000 people. Additionally, Pilot has hosted on-site trainings at its corporate office and travel center locations on topics such as CPR and stroke identification and response.

Hyundai donates $25,000 to expand child passenger safety in Metro Detroit

Hyundai Motor America is continuing its partnership with the Children's Hospital of Michigan to expand access to child passenger safety resources for families across Metro Detroit. Through its corporate social responsibility initiative, Hyundai Hope, Hyundai Motor America is donating $25,000 to the Children's Foundation of Michigan to support the Children's Hospital of Michigan's Injury Prevention Program and expand child passenger safety resources across Metro Detroit.

"As vehicles continue to evolve, it is essential that we continue educating consumers about the importance of seat belts and properly fitted car seats," said Ben Michajlyszyn, director of the safety test and investigation laboratory for Hyundai Motor North America. "Car seat installation, fit, and sizing based on an infant's or child's size are factors that many new parents and caregivers may not fully understand. Through Hyundai's continued education efforts with children's hospitals across the U.S., we can help make a difference and save lives."

At Children's Hospital of Michigan-Troy, Hyundai and Children's Hospital of Michigan partnered to host a car seat safety check event focused on improving child passenger safety. Technicians checked seats for correct installation, fit, expiration dates, and manufacturer recalls, while families in need received free replacement car seats.

Since 2024, the Hyundai Hope partnership has supported 346 children through 87 car seat inspections or corrections and the distribution of 264 new car seats in Metro Detroit.