Man in wheelchair gets a wild ride

June 7, 2007 08:20 PM

By MARC THOMPSON

PAW PAW -- The Michigan State Police Paw Paw Post and Van Buren County Central Dispatch began receiving strange reports of a man in a wheelchair being pushed by a semi truck on Wednesday afternoon.

The truck collided with wheelchair as the vehicle was leaving a gas station and the 21-year-old man was crossing the road.
The wheelchair’s handles became lodged in the front grill of the truck.
The unwitting truck driver then proceeded to travel west on Red Arrow Highway at speeds of approximately 50 mph.
Police initially thought the report might have been a prank until they started receiving more reports of the situation.

The truck traveled for an estimated four miles unknowingly pushing the man in the wheelchair.
The driver then pulled into the Ralph Moyle Trucking Company, which owned the truck, with wheelchair and occupant still attached.
When troopers arrived, they discovered the man in the wheelchair was unharmed and unfazed by the incident.
Police approached the driver and advised him of the man in the wheelchair.
The driver did not believe them until he stepped out of the truck and saw the man still sitting in the chair.

The young man said it was quite a ride.
One trooper on the scene said it would be possible to work another 90 years in law enforcement and never see an incident such as this one.
Everybody said they are just glad no one was injured.