Forest Park man stops at major I-75 crash, helps save truck driver’s life

KENTON COUNTY, Ky. (WXIX) - A man leapt into action at a perilous interstate crash scene Wednesday, stayed there for hours and helped save the life of one of the drivers.

The Good Samaritan is Rodney Jones Sr., a professional truck driver from Forest Park.

The incident happened in the evening hours on a ramp connecting I-75 and I-275 in Erlanger. One semi truck crashed into the rear of another; a car was also involved.

One of the truck drivers was stuck in his cab for more than two hours. The ramp collector and southbound I-75 were closed for many hours more.

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Jones says he travels along I-275 from the airport in his truck every day. He was doing just that Wednesday evening when he came upon the crash scene, a frenzy of gnarled metal and broken glass.

Jones says he jumped out of his 18-wheeler to check on those involved.

“I went to the first truck, and the driver was kind of in-and-out of it,” he said. “I asked if he was alright, and he said, ‘Yes.’”

The other driver was not so lucky.

“When I got to that truck, it was smashed,” Jones recalled. “The driver was in the truck yelling, ‘Help! Help! Help!’”

Jones says the man was frantic, stuck in his seat with his body pinned beneath his steering wheel and the feeling draining out of his legs.

“I said, ‘All right, calm down, help is here, help is here, calm down,’” Jones said.

Jones tried to pull the driver’s side door open, but it was smashed shut. He and another man then ran to the passenger side. The other man retrieved an implement from his car, and Jones used it to smash the window open.

The pair tried to open that door, but again, no dice. So they waited for the cavalry—first responders from Crescent Springs, Erlanger and Florence.

Once they arrived, they started working to rescue the man from the car. Meanwhile, Jones used his truck to direct traffic and shield the crash scene.

EMS transported the driver to a local hospital. His condition is unknown, as is the cause of the crash.

Jones got home hours later and told his wife of 40 years all about it.

“I was pretty excited about the story,” said Daphne Jones. “I was telling him, ‘Oh my God, babe, you’re a hero!’ I’m like, ‘That’s amazing that you jumped out of your truck and you helped someone.’ I was pretty pumped about what he did.”

But Daphne also gave her husband a lecture.

“I did say to him, ‘Oh my God, you got out on the expressway! What you know, that’s pretty dangerous!’ I want to keep you.”

He replied, “I didn’t even think about the danger or anything around me. Somebody needed help.”

Jones continued: “The Bible says do unto others as he would have others do unto you. I’ve been a truck driver for over 30 years and I’ve been blessed to never have been in an accident like that. But I’m pretty sure if I were involved in an accident, I would appreciate someone to stop and try to assist and help me as well.”

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