Truck driver Amos Phillips sustained several injuries during the attack.A $1,000 reward is being offered for information relating to an incident in which a driver was severely beaten at an Idaho truck stop last month.
Truck driver Amos Phillips was parked at TP Gas & Truck Stop on I-15 north of Pocatello, Idaho on the Fort Hall Reservation on Sept. 3 for his 34-hour restart when an intruder broke into his truck. Phillips says the truck was locked, but the intruder was able to break in through the passenger door and demanded money.
“I said I did not have any,” Phillips said. “He said either give me money or I’ll mess you up real bad.”
The two men fought, and the intruder attacked Phillips with rocks in both hands. The intruder escaped but left behind a cap, which police are analyzing for evidence. The truck stop provided its security footage to police but the quality was too poor to provide any information.
Phillips, who does not have medical insurance, was hospitalized for several days. Both of his cheeks and nose were broken, he received stitches and had a blood clot on his brain. Phillips is now facing substantial medical expenses, and his employer, JWE Inc., has set up a GoFundMe to help cover those costs.
John Williams, the owner of JWE Inc., based in Camdenton, Missouri, is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the attacker. Phillips was not able to identify his attacker outside of saying he was a “tall, muscular” Native American man.
Phillips is not sure when he will be able to return to truck driving.
The Tribal Enterprises and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, which operate the TP Truck Stop, announced plans to improve security at the truck stop following the incident. Those plans include improved lighting, surveillance, and security, reports East Idaho News.
TP Truck Stop Retail Operations Manager Carlie Jim released the following statement: “We would like to express how unfortunate it is that this type of incident can happen anywhere and we’re especially saddened that this happened on our property involving a very valued customer. We continue to pray for his health, well being and justice for such a senseless act of violence.”
