Where Is Hugh Rowland From Ice Road Truckers Today?
For those nontraditional thrill seekers who wish to live vicariously through brave drivers who trek across uneven and fragile sheets of frozen terrain for a living, History's "Ice Road Truckers" is pretty much the one and only TV option. The show debuted in 2007, connecting fans with these thrill-seeking daredevils for 11 seasons. The reality series took off shortly after its premiere and featured several eccentric drivers whose personalities rivaled anything on scripted television. One of the most popular drivers from the show has to be Hugh Rowland, also known as "The Polar Bear."
Rowland — by far one of the most outspoken truckers of the bunch — was one of the main staples of the series from its premiere to its conclusion. Despite appearing to successfully navigate through the countless obstacles thrown his way — such as unforeseen weather conditions and nearly-deadly deliveries — Rowland told YouTuber Joshua Nannie that he actually found it more difficult to manage his own employees. According to Rowland, after cameras began rolling, many of his once reliable team members sacrificed their work ethic in exchange for trying to get more screen time. In the end, Rowland had to fire everyone on his team and hire new employees.
Now, since the series ended back in 2014, many fans wonder what he's up to today. Here's a look at what happened to The Polar Bear once the show went off the air.
A car accident and subsequent lawsuit altered his future
There's a whole gamut of reasons why different drivers on "Ice Road Truckers" might have their delivery careers come to an end. However, Hugh Rowland's exit, as reported by Biography Research, came as a direct result of an unfortunate car accident.
While on location, show producer Will Morrison was driving with Rowland in the passenger seat. Morrison crashed the car into trees, resulting in significant injuries to the lower half of Rowland's body. This caused Rowland to lose much of his truck-driving ability and contributed to his decision to step away from the business. The wreck also resulted in a messy lawsuit between Rowland and Morrison, with Rowland claiming Morrison's reckless driving contributed to the wreck.
As details of the lawsuit came out, TMZ reported that the accident not only caused injuries that contributed to the end of Rowland's trucking career, but also his ability to be intimate with his wife. Obviously, the legal battle between Rowland and Morrison was more than enough reason for him to leave the show, which continued for a short amount of time after his departure. Since leaving the world of reality television behind, Rowland has focused on running his construction company and spending time with his loved ones (via Hot Cars).