Rotorua's Shamos Hunter will today receive a Beaurepaires 0Highway Hero award for his quick-thinking and courage the night 12 Rotorua teenagers were involved in a horrific crash.
Keith Raymond, father of Benjamin Raymond, one of the teens injured in the crash, nominated truck driver Mr Hunter for the award.
Mr Hunter was
first on the scene of the crash on Saturday, July 17, 14km south of Rotorua and found the teens flung across the road. He rang emergency services, flashed his lights at an approaching vehicle, and called out a warning on his CB radio, a warning the driver of the approaching truck, Greg Thompson, heard in time to stop his vehicle.
Both truck drivers checked on the teenagers and stayed at the scene until the teenagers had been taken away by emergency services.
"I just thought that what he did was a pretty heroic act in terms of preventing further casualties," Mr Raymond said.
"My son was one of the victims in the van crash. Ben had fractured vertebrae in his neck and a broken collarbone.
"All the parents on the day were really thankful there weren't more injuries.
"It's been a tragedy that one of the boys didn't survive the crash. But it could have been a lot worse, we're all really thankful.
"It was only through his fast actions and quick-thinking that prevented further injuries.
"He acted fast and he helped a lot of the young people on the night," Mr Raymond said.
"If it were not for Shamos' excellent response to the emergency, warning oncoming traffic of the crash, there would no doubt be many more injuries, possibly deaths. Thank you Shamos for your quick thinking, from a grateful father," Mr Raymond said in his written nomination.
Set up by the New Zealand police in association with Beaurepaires, NZ Trucking magazine and the NZ Transport Agency, the Beaurepaires' Highway Heroes awards recognise professional truck, coach and bus drivers around the country for their good deeds performed on the job. Drivers are nominated by the public throughout the year and a supreme year winner is awarded at the end of the year by a panel of judges.
