The elderly man’s daughter-in-law reported that her father-in-law was at her house for dinner and left around 9:45 p.m.He was supposed to call her when he arrived home but she never received a call. Becoming concerned, family members searched the area multiple times and checked the father-in-law’s residence without results. Then the family contacted State Police at 12:55 a.m.
State Troopers Kevin Masinick and Anthony Garipoli travelled the route which would have been travelled by the father-in-law. While driving past the Hope Community Church on Bick Road, Rockland Township, about two miles from the complainant’s residence, Trooper Garipoli saw what he believed were vehicle lights in the rear of the parking lot and immediately told Trooper Masinick to check the vehicle out.
As Masinick and Garipoli approached the vehicle, they observed a burgundy minivan matching the description of the father-in-laws’ vehicle. The troopers also observed an older man lying on the ground by the driver side front tire. Approaching the man, they noticed the vehicle’s front tire was resting on his arm.
This man was the missing father-in-law.
Trooper Masinick, who was a former EMT, performed a quick assessment of him, and decided not to move the vehicle for fear of a blood clot moving through his body.
Emergency personnel from the Lyons Fire Department and Topton Ambulance were summoned to the scene and assisted with freeing the elderly man from under the tire. He had been pinned under the tire for about five hours.
The 80-year-old man told state troopers that he had pulled into the church lot because he had to urinate. He related that he tripped exiting the vehicle and must not have put the vehicle in park prior to exiting. The vehicle began rolling backward and pinned his left arm under the wheel. He yelled for help but nobody came by.
The father-in-law was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment. A medic from the Topton Ambulance informed Trooper Masinick that he did the right thing by not moving the vehicle for fear of blood clots.
His current condition is unknown.
Police did not release his name.
