On the afternoon of Sept. 30, Steve Cochran was traveling along State Route 208 in Washington Township, Clarion County, when he noticed a horse pulling an Amish buggy became spooked. The horse began running erratically down the road. When Cochran noticed there was a small child in the buggy, he understood the severity of the situation.
"There was no stopping that horse," said Cochran, a bridge inspection crane technician supervisor for PennDOT's Indiana-based District 10.
Cochran maneuvered his vehicle in front of the buggy. He tried to signal oncoming vehicles so they'd be cautious. At times, the vehicles were going 25-30 miles per hour at times. This continued for two to three miles.
Eventually, the horse turned down a township road and into a field where a Pennsylvania State Trooper was able to get the 3-year-old girl from the buggy and return her safely to her mother.
For his efforts, Cochran was given PennDOT's Workplace Hero Award. The award is open to PennDOT employees who, during work hours, take actions that prevent the death or serious injury of a co-worker or member of the public.