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Mar 1, 2006 12:00 PM

James Hill, a Texas-based driver for Prime Inc, received the State of North Carolina Certificate of Appreciation Award for his role in saving the life of a North Carolina state trooper in November 2005. As Trooper Chris Horniak made a traffic stop on Interstate 95, the driver got out of his vehicle and fired multiple shots at Horniak with a .45-caliber handgun.

Traveling in the opposite direction, Hill witnessed the shooting and immediately tried to distract the gunman. Hill blew his air horn as he pulled his tractor-trailer off the road, causing the attacker to flee. Seeing the officer badly wounded, Hill crossed the highway to help him, called for backup, and provided a description of the driver and his vehicle to local police. Within minutes, an ambulance arrived for Horniak, and the gunman was arrested.

For his bravery, Hill was also nominated as a Truckload Carriers Association Highway Angel and declared a North Carolina State Honorary Highway Patrolman.