A driver was found dead in his vehicle at an Arkansas weigh station after his father reported him missing when he failed to check in or answer his phone. After investigation, the cause of death was found to be carbon monoxide poisoning.
The driver, 44 year-old Anthony Azlin of Mississippi, had spoken with his father the previous night, telling him where he was parked before he turned in for the night. So when his father, Ray, didn’t hear from him, he knew exactly where to send the authorities to look.
Upon arriving, the authorities could see him inside of the truck, but he didn’t respond to their knocking. When paramedics arrived, they pronounced him dead at the scene and brought him to the local medical examiner’s office, where they determined that carbon monoxide poisoning had been the cause of death.
Investigators noted that a portable generator had been running inside the sleeper berth and is likely to have been the source of the carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide alarms are easy to install and maintain, they cost around $40-$50, and they can save your life!
Next Story: Employee Found Beaten To Death At Carrier Headquarters
Source: gobytrucknews, thetrucker
Ryan says
Someone dying is a terrible thing, but can we nominate this guy for a Darwin Award?
Hannah Azlin says
Ok! First off, that was my dad. And he is NOT stupid or idiotic. He did not have it IN the sleeper of the truck, it was OUTSIDE of the truck but under and to the side. The vent for it was placed AWAY from the truck. He was an amazing person and im not just saying that becuase he was my dad. Many people that know him will agree. I cant believe somebody would say something like that about a driver! Many others have died for the same thing! He is not the first! Gosh…..why would you say something like that….I mean really..? Im sorry to blow up like that. But make sure you actaully know what happened before you go and say something like that….
steven randall says
Sad loss of a driver. Wonder why he was running a generator inside the sleeper
Hannah Azlin says
Hi. This was my dad and he didnt have IN the sleeper, it was kind of under the side of it. He used it for many things like his printer, microwave, fridge, etc. I have ridden many times with him in it and never experienced any problems. It was just some freak accident and hes not the first one. There have been many deaths because of this same thing.
Mark says
Retire the trophy now.
Geo says
So was he in a tractor with auto shutoff or was he in a no idle area?
No more details about why he was desperate enough to risk killing himself for what was probably an attempt to keep warm?
What a shame, complete waste.
Curtis says
Arkansas does not have a no idle area. The question is, why was he using a portable generator inside the sleeper berth?
Hannah Azlin says
He didnt idle the truck becuase fuel is so high. The generator was OUTSIDE of the truck. Not inside. He did not kill himself, it was just some freak accident. There have been many other drivers out there that have died over the same thing. If there was one thing about my dad, he WAS NOT stupid…
DocW says
Arkansas is not a no-idle state…especially at a weigh station. I am confused though. Who would ever need a portable generator in a truck, especially inside a truck? Even if one can’t/won’t idle their truck, most trucks anymore are equipped with diesel burning heaters for the winter.
And… Ryan… maybe I’m not with it this morning, but…. what does your comment mean?
harddazeknight says
I’m not Ryan (obviously) but I’ll answer for him: in case he dosen’t make it back. The Darwin Award is named after Charles Darwin, the father of the Theory of Evolution… survival of the fittest. The Award is given to people who, through circumstances stemming from what is considered to be utter stupidity, remove themselves (self elimination) from the gene pool, thereby improving the ultimate chances for survival of the human species. There have been a number of books written about winners of the Award and at least one movie, a comedy, made about the stories of some of the winners: a humorous perspective on death.
Jraulpilot says
I think that “Lack of knowledge” was a definite factor in this unfortunate incident. Who runs a portable generator that creates Carbon monoxide..inside a close cabin???? May he rest in peace and his untimely dead be an example for other Drivers.
JD says
Why on earth whould someone even think of running a portable generator INSIDE! the truck while sleeping? sorry to hear about this but come on use your brain. run a cord from out side off deck plate or something> geeeeeeeee,s
Hannah Azlin says
The generator was OUTSIDE of the truck. He was not stupid enough to put it inside! I would hope nobody does that! If there was one thing my dad wasnt, he sure as heck WAS NOT stupid.
tim[in] says
Probably had a broken heater and the company was too cheap to fix it. I had one company that wanted me to drive the truck from indy to pitts,pa with a broken seat that was sitting on the floor.THe reason he probably didnt want to put the generator outside is he didnt want it stolen. Even chained down it ,a pair of bolt cutters and they’re off to the crackhouse!Wonder if he had a window or vent partially open thinking it would vent the exhaust, or mistaken it for a safer device? RIP driver.
michelle mares says
Yup. These big companies dont care about the drive . My job was threatened over over idling . fire me..I’m idling
JJ says
This is why they should make it madatory that an APU be installed in every OTR truck, and also enforce that it be maintained per the manufactures requirements…then none of us would have to idle illegally in any state…The company I work for uses the diesel fired bunk heater and will get anything repaired on your truck if you request it and their very good that way, but I believe in having that as a secondary and the APU/Inverter setup as the primary. Its all about cost. yeah we all know that…lol…I agree with others here, what was he thinking of by running a portable generator in a truck, the newslines are full of not to run a generator indoors!! I wonder if the guy had suicide on his mind?
michelle mares says
I want to know who he drive for! A lot of these big carriers have useless vunk heaters and set truck so it wont idle over an giur and threaten your job for over idling !!
michelle mares says
Oops bunk heaters..decipher!
DJaxon1 says
Yeah you right. I talked to many company drivers who are told to finish their route with no heat in there truck.
Paul says
Even with the APU’s and idling the thing, given the right conditions you will get fumes in the back, it appears manufacturers cannot cover all bases with the design.
elvis says
I to would like to know the name of our fellow brothers company. I believe this
Is information all drivers looking for jobs might want to know.
RIP BROTHER
Hannah Azlin says
Ok, to all you people out there saying that he was stupid to put a genertator in the truck, your wrong. He did NOT have it in the truck, it was OUTSIDE the cab. Whoever wrote this didn’t specify enough. He was my dad and he had many things hooked up to it like his printer, fridge, microwave, etc. Yes, he had a heater in the truck BUT it was an electric. It didn’t give off any kind of fumes, he made sure before he put it in there. He hade a son and a daughter, a mom and dad that he wouldve left if he had have put one that did in there. I’m telling you all now, if my dad was one thing, he sure as heck was NOT stupid!!
awaller says
I am so sorry that your father passed away.
This is no joke: please, please for those truck drivers who do not have a Carbon Monoxide detectors in your truck, I urge to please put a detector in your sleeper cab. My husband and I almost died from the carbon monoxide poisoning. We never heard of an alarm being put in a commercial truck nor did the company supply one for our cab. Most companies do not supply carbon monoxide detectors. We could have been both dead, sleeping in our graves, if it had not been for my husband. I became so confused: I did not know him, I did not know myself, I did not know where we had been and where we were going, I lost my mind. My husband called the ambulance, I went to the hospital, I was airlifted by helicopter to another hospital because the first hospital did not have the equipment to treat me. All those things I do not remember, my husband told me what happen to me, to this day I still do not remember what happen to me. My memory is bad, I have very bad chest pains, I feel like I can not breath at times and I sometimes I am very light headed. My husband did not loose his mind or memory, but he has been very sick: head aches, body ache and very bad chest pain. We are blessed to be alive. I pray for you, for the lost of your love one.
awaller says
You can get Carbon Monoxide poisoning from other truckers trucks being parked next to your truck. So you need the Carbon Monoxide detector, because Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a: silent, odorless, tasteless killer.