NEW ORLEANS — A cross-country truck driver is making it her mission to keep a young woman's memory alive after she was found dead in her truck five years ago.
If you are into big rigs, you may have come across Sabrina Lockley on social media. She uses her TikTok, @CDLALADY, to talk safety for drivers – especially women.
“Coming from a family of truckers I’d never thought I would find myself here.”
Five years ago, Lockley was on the road in California when she heard about the death of Karmeshia Thomas, a native of Clarksdale, Miss., who stopped at the Mardi Gras Truck Stop on Elysian Fields.
“It was like headline breaking news. It just hit me hard. I didn’t need to know her personally to feel grief and pain.”
Lockley says it moved her to create a memorial and share Thomas’ story.
Back in 2018, Thomas’ mother, Joyce Thomas, told CBS WREG that Thomas’ body was covered in blood and that she suspected foul play in her daughter’s death.
“I really think that someone did something to her. I don’t know whether she had been poisoned, I don’t really know,” said Thomas.
Lockley says she stops by the memorial whenever she is in town to clean up and add to the memorial. Her goal is to make sure Thomas’ death was not in vain and that other truckers are reminded to be aware.
“I find myself putting my seatbelts through my door handle so that my doors can’t be opened even when I’m asleep,” said Lockley. “Some people tie strings to their air horn so if the door opens its going to do the loud noise.”
Some of those tip’s center around drivers locking their doors anytime they leave it and keeping their guard up when stopped at truck stops across the country.
“It means a lot to me because it can happen to any of us,” said Lockley. “There are new people coming into the industry every day. So, if I’m able to spread awareness then I want to.”
A spokesperson with the New Orleans Police Department told WWL-TV they would look into the case to find an update on what happened. At the time of her death, the cause was listed as unclassified.
We will update this story when we receive an update.
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