Man breaks leg running himself over
A MAN was recovering in hospital last night after a freak car
accident in Mutley left him with a broken leg.
The man, believed to be in his 40s, was crushed by his own car
as he tried to stop it from rolling into a wall at around
9.30am yesterday.
It is believed the handbrake on his silver Mitsubishi Colt
failed, leaving the vehicle rolling out of the car park behind
Parkhurst Hill Accountants and across an alleyway near the
junction of Houndiscombe Road and North Road East.
Its owner, who was walking away from the parked vehicle, tried
to save it but became trapped between the vehicle and the wall
of a house.
Staff in the accountants heard his screams and rushed to his
aid, administering emergency first aid and helping push the car
off him.
Liz Marker, a bookkeeper at the accountants, gave the man
emergency first aid as they waited for paramedics to
arrive.
She said: “It all happened so quickly. I heard the crash as my
office looks out on the lane where it happened.
“He was in a lot of pain – I think he’d dislocated his knee. He
was screaming out and there was blood gushing out of a puncture
wound. I assume it was the bone that punctured the skin.
“There wasn’t much we could do, but we basically made him
comfortable and tried to stop the bleeding ready for when the
ambulance came.
“I’ve done first aid courses but it was the first time I’ve had
to put it into practice.”
Fire crew commander Martin Causey, from Greenbank, who attended
the scene along with police and paramedics, said: “The car had
rolled between eight and ten feet, so had built up a bit of
momentum.
“It pushed him against the solid stone wall, pinning him there
below the waist but predominantly below the knee.”
The man was given gas and air before being taken to Derriford
Hospital. He suffered no further injuries.
18 Comments
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by Mimi, Limbo
Friday, July 04 2008, 2:04PM
“Was this guy an actor and this was the easiest way he could think of when told to "break a leg" ?
I do wish him a speedy recovery though.”
by Kirsty, Plymouth
Friday, July 04 2008, 1:45AM
“Clare, I dont know if this was in the Herald at the time of going to print or if you just simply cant read, but quoted for your reference:
"Staff in the accountants heard his screams and rushed to his aid, administering emergency first aid and helping push the car off him."
- And as for the guy running himself over, now that'll be a story to tell the grankids.
what a LEGend.”
by Ryan, Mutley
Thursday, July 03 2008, 8:53AM
“Get a life Dave, no-one has been malicious towards the unfortunate bloke, they're simply saying it is something that anyone with a sense of humour would chuckle at. Not because they are sadistic, but because, like 'ailis' said, he will look back and laugh about it. As everyone else has said, i wish him a speedy recovery. You should try reading the whole of the comments on this site before making judgement.”
by Miss_Anthrope, Mannamead
Thursday, July 03 2008, 8:31AM
“Dave, are you wanting everyone to think about what it would be like if the shoe were on the other foot?”
by dave, honicknowle
Wednesday, July 02 2008, 5:28PM
“aydi, thank you for openly admiting that it is a bonus to upset people on here. the terms and conditions on this clearly state that is unreasonable behaviour .”
by ailis, plymouth
Wednesday, July 02 2008, 5:07PM
“usually people who think disasters are funny are usually not on the receiving end of them.
mind you i bet the unfortunate man it happened to will, when he is feeling better, find it something to laugh about.
i hope he will be laughing all the way to the bank if it was handbrake failure and not his own error of failing to put it on in the first place.”
by Stephen, Laira
Wednesday, July 02 2008, 4:55PM
“We can laugh about it to some extent, but I was there, and the poor bloke was in a lot of pain and distress. I only hope he's comfortable now, and is being fixed up so he doesn't have any long term effects. Hats off to our first aider Liz, and Mr Anonymous, the builder from the uni.”
by aydi, plymouth
Wednesday, July 02 2008, 4:53PM
“thank you dave. i find it amusing though and to upset people like you is definitely a bonus.”
by dave, honicknowle
Wednesday, July 02 2008, 4:39PM
“am i the only one who doesnt see the funny side of someone being crushed and injured and off work for months , possibly with a family to support ? i find comments like these juvenille , vulgar and nasty.”
by aydi, plymouth
Wednesday, July 02 2008, 2:31PM
“from clutches to crutches in one easy lesson”