AASHTO Journal - Georgia DOT Foreman Receives Two Heroism Awards

In November 2025, the Georgia Department of Transportation presented Ralph Beaver (above at left), a maintenance foreman with the agency, with its Heroism Award and its Sean Kornacki Award for risking his life to save two motorists and a police officer while responding to a highway incident.

[Above photo by the Georgia DOT]

The annual Georgia DOT Heroism Award is given to an agency employee, or occasionally a team, who has performed a heroic act or life-saving action while on the job or in the line of duty. The Sean Kornacki Award – created in memory of its namesake, a Georgia DOT foreman who tragically lost his life while on duty – is given annually to an agency highway maintenance foreman who shows exceptional commitment to roadway safety.

According to a blog post, in September 2025, Beaver responded to an emergency call out at State Route 316 near Sugarloaf Parkway in Gwinnett County, where a section of guardrail damaged in a crash had been pulled into the leftmost of three eastbound lanes closest to the median; blocking traffic and creating a hazard for motorists. A police vehicle was already on the scene with blue lights flashing to prevent motorists from running into the damaged guardrail.

“When I arrived, the guardrail was struck and pulled out into the lane,” Beaver said. “I called one of my guys to bring a saw so we could cut it.”

While waiting for the saw to arrive, a secondary crash occurred when a pickup truck ran into a sedan parked or stopped behind the police unit. Beaver, along with the officer, quickly went over to check on the drivers while also monitoring traffic for any additional danger. That’s when Beaver spotted two speeding vehicles approaching them.

While the first speeding vehicle successfully swerved away, Beaver said, the second one could not. “I noticed the car coming, but by then, it was too late,” he said.

As it rammed the parked truck from the previous crash and began careening directly toward the group, Beaver immediately pushed the two motorists and the police officer out of the oncoming vehicle’s path. In doing so, he was struck and thrown over the vehicle, breaking his leg. Meanwhile, the driver who caused the crash sped away in a hit-and-run.

“I just wanted to try and get everybody out of the way before the truck came, and I got everyone out of the way, except myself,” he said. “I moved two steps, and next thing I know, I’m flying.”

Instead of going straight to the hospital for his broken leg, Beaver stayed to ensure the guardrail was cut and the area secured with the help of two other Georgia DOT staff members, Harold Eubanks and Steve Mikul, before leaving to get medical attention.

“I had to make sure the traveling public was going to be safe and wanted to make sure the job was completed,” he said. “I didn’t want to leave my guys there by themselves.”

Beaver was in a cast for six weeks, and after it was removed, he had physical therapy three times a week. It took a total of two and a half months for him to recover. “The doctor said I was lucky and they were surprised there wasn’t more damage,” Beaver noted. “But the car only hit me in the leg.”