“That Light Came On and It Scared Me”: Florida Trucker Says Someone Jumped on His 18-Wheeler While Driving Through North Carolina

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA — What began as a routine overnight route turned into a chilling ordeal for one Florida truck driver, who claims he was attacked while passing through a dark, wooded stretch of North Carolina.

The driver, known as Andrew, shared his story in a now-viral TikTok series that has been viewed more than 70,000 times, describing the moment he says “something” triggered his truck’s proximity sensors — and the split-second decision that may have saved him.

A Light, a Stop Sign, and a Terrifying Instinct

According to Andrew, he was approaching a crossroads on a pitch-black rural road late at night when his truck’s right-side proximity light suddenly activated, signaling that something — or someone — was close by.

“That light came on and when that light came on it scared me,” he said. “Because I told y’all earlier that day that light comes on when a car or a person is beside you. So I’m in the middle of these woods and it’s jet black out there — and that light came on.”

He said instinct took over. Instead of stopping at the intersection, he hit the gas and grabbed his knife from the cab, preparing to defend himself.

“I just hit the gas and ran the stop sign. My first reaction — I grabbed my knife. I’m just looking at the door, waiting for somebody to bust it open and jump inside this truck.”

“Somebody Hit Here and It Scared the [Expletive] Out of Me”

In a follow-up video, Andrew described what happened moments later as he tried to flee the area.

“Right at this window, a person jumped on the truck,” he said. “Like you hear it — boom — like they jumped onto it. I’m driving with my left hand, I got my knife in my right hand. Somebody hit here and it scared the [expletive] out of me.”

He said the unknown individual jumped off as he sped away, leaving him shaken but unhurt.

GPS Glitch Adds to the Fear

Andrew said his nightmare didn’t end there. After calling his girlfriend to tell her what happened, he tried to call his dispatcher — but couldn’t get through. He decided to reroute to a truck stop.

That’s when his GPS began malfunctioning, he said.

“When I programmed the device to find the nearest truck stop, it brought me right back to that same road where that person tried to jump in the truck,” he recalled.

Moments later, both his GPS and phone signal went dead. For the next 15 minutes, he drove through what he described as a complete “dead zone.”

“Now I’m just driving, basically in a dead zone, don’t know where I’m going at all,” he said. “This felt like a movie — that just happened back there, GPS telling me to turn in the middle of nowhere, now my phone ain’t working.”

Trucking Industry Safety Concerns

While Andrew’s story sparked debate online — some believing him, others skeptical — industry experts say it reflects a growing safety problem among long-haul truck drivers, who often face isolation, theft risks, and violence during overnight routes.

According to FreightWaves, cargo theft across North America surged to 3,625 incidents in 2024, a 27% increase year-over-year, with an average loss of over $200,000 per theft.

A survey by CDL Life found that 40% of crimes against truck drivers include violence, while rural “dead zones” often make GPS tracking unreliable.

Community Response: “Always Trust Your Gut”

Andrew’s video has drawn hundreds of comments from fellow truckers and viewers. Some called his experience a wake-up call about rural safety, while others suggested it could have been a paranormal or psychological event.

“Always go with your gut feeling,” one commenter wrote. “Thank goodness you did.”

Another user linked the story to “Missing 411”, a documentary series about unexplained disappearances in rural areas, while others warned about “sundown towns” — historically unsafe places for travelers of color after dark.

Skeptics, however, questioned the timeline and urged caution before drawing conclusions.

“I Thought About Quitting”

Despite the fear, Andrew says he’s still driving.

“That made me want to quit my job right then and there,” he said. “My girl told me it’s time to leave that job. It’s not safe. But I stayed. I’m still at the same job right now.”

He said he never completed his original delivery that night, instead parking at a truck stop until morning before reporting the incident to his company.

Whether the event was criminal, paranormal, or a severe scare in the dark, Andrew says the night changed how he approaches the job.

“I’m just blessed to be here, man,” he said.

Do you think trucking companies should equip drivers with emergency cameras and satellite GPS backup systems to improve safety on rural routes? Share your thoughts and join the discussion at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.