Occupied Wheelchair Gets Caught on Truck, Speeds Down Highway

I'm confined to a wheelchair, so this story hits close to home.

Yesterday afternoon, according to the Kalamazoo (Mich.) Gazette, an unnamed 21-year-old man in a wheelchair drove in front of a semi truck at a gas station in Michigan. The chair got caught on the front grille of the truck. It is unknown whether or not this man had the cognitive ability to yell for help. He may not have been aware that he was stuck. One thing is certain; the truck driver was not aware that an invalid was fastened to the front of his vehicle.

The truck took off. The wheelchair was pushed for approximately four miles at 50 mph. Police dispatchers received several calls about the incident, but they nearly shrugged it off as a prank. Eventually, police caught up with the truck where it had parked at a trucking facility. After being told that he had taken on a living hood ornament, the truck driver was in disbelief. But then he saw the proverbial bug on his windshield. The wheelchair was still latched onto the truck's grille.

Amazingly, the handicapped passenger was unharmed. According to police officers, he was unshaken by the event. He was quoted as saying, "it was quite a ride." You said it, buddy! It's incredible that the guy steered his motorized chair off of the truck unscathed. A single pothole could have caused severe injuries. If I ever become glued to the front of a moving car, I definitely won't take it as lightly as he did!

It has been reported by witnesses that the man thought he was seated in an amusement park ride. It may be tempting to laugh, but this is just wild conjecture. The man's identity and disability has yet to be disclosed.

Source: The Kalamazoo Gazette