Public servants go above and beyond for Indianapolis family after highway mishap

Trooper Daryl Smith

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis family got a lot more than a fixed flat and a lift following a recent incident on Interstate 65.

On Saturday, Sept. 25 Indiana State Police Dispatchers received a call about a van facing the wrong direction on the side of I-65 just north of downtown Indianapolis.

Trooper Daryl Smith, along with INDOT Hoosier Helper Brian Hanes, was dispatched to the area to assist. When they arrived they determined the van had blown a tire causing it to spin out, thankfully not hitting anything.

The van was occupied by an adult female and her six children. The driver explained to the trooper that she was trying to get to her son’s football game when their tire blew and she did not have a spare tire.

Upon inspection of the vehicle, Smith determined the other three tires on the vehicle were in bad condition and unsafe.

Smith and Hanes drove the family to their football game, but what they did next was beyond expectations of their duties.

The two men returned to the van on I-65, where together they jacked up the van and removed all four wheels. They took the wheels to a local Discount Tire store where Smith paid for four new tires with his own money.

While in the tire store, Smith was approached by Indiana State Sen. Greg Taylor, who also happened to be there. After hearing the story about what the trooper and the Hoosier Helper were doing, Taylor wanted to help.

Smith explained the situation to Taylor and told him the mother did not have enough car seats in the van for the children who required them.

Going even further, the trooper and the senator went to a nearby Walmart, where Sen. Taylor purchased three child seats and gave them to Smith for the family.

When Smith and Hanes returned to the van on I-65, they installed the four brand new tires and the car seats.

Smith took the keys back to the mother at the football game, simply telling her “your tire has been repaired.” He determined a family member was there to drive the mother back to her van.