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NORTON - Ed Mowry thought it was a little unusual when one of his students at Nationwide Tractor Trailer School only seemed interested in learning how to drive forward.

When the student started asking around about getting certified to transport hazardous materials, Mowry said it seemed even more suspicious.

Then the student allegedly offered Mowry $200 to take him out on the road for a private lesson, and Mowry knew he better alert authorities.

Mowry, an instructor at Nationwide in Smithfied, R.I., and Darlene Crawford, the company president, reported the student to Rhode Island Highway Watch, a program that encourages truck drivers to report suspicious activity.

The result was the student, Mohammed Yousef Mullawala, was eventually arrested on alleged visa violations and is being held in Boston while awaiting a hearing. Mowry, a call fire captain in his hometown of Norton, and Crawford, have since been awarded the Justice Award from Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch for their actions.

While Mowry said he is pleased with the award, he credits homeland security training he has received as a driving instructor and a firefighter for making him realize something might be amiss.

"I never would have had a suspicion at all," he said. "They taught us to keep our eyes open."

Crawford said they were happy to have played a role in possibly stopping something bad from happening.

"I'm glad we called. If he had bad intentions, I'm glad he has been stopped," she said.

Norton Fire Chief Rick Gomes said he attended the award ceremony and was proud of Mowry.

Gomes said the call fire captain is a big help to the fire department because his experience as a driving instructor allows him to train firefighters to operate fire trucks.

"He's been a real asset to us," Gomes said.

Lynch, the Rhode Island attorney general, said Mullawala is being investigated for possible terrorism activities. He was also found to have been in the United States on an expired student visa.

He also allegedly gave false addresses in applying for a Social Security number and a driver's license, Lynch said. In presenting the Justice Award, Lynch praised the actions of Nationwide employees.

"They are already responsible for the arrest of a foreign national with an expired student visa who has been deemed 'an extreme flight risk' by a federal immigration judge.

"In these troubling times, when national security is of paramount concern, I can't think of two citizens who deserve our recognition, and thanks, more than Darlene Crawford and Edward Mowry," he said.