Crime & Safety
Matawan Man Helps Save Truck Driver Trapped in Overturned Tractor Trailer in Woodbridge
This Matawan man was on his way to work Tuesday when he saw a truck overturned on Rt. 440, and heard a man screaming for help.
Woodbridge, NJ - What started off as the usual, everyday commute to work Tuesday quickly turned into a lifesaving situation for this local Matawan man.
Matawan resident Casey Lee Rooney, 23, was driving to his job in Edison when he saw a horrific accident at 7:51 a.m. on Rt. 440 in Woodbridge Township: A tractor trailer truck had overturned near Woodbridge Avenue, and the driver was trapped inside the cab.
"Nobody had stopped," said Rooney, who manages a taxi and limousine service. "I pulled over and I heard the man screaming from inside. He was really trapped. I climbed on top of the truck and opened the door and said, 'What's your name?'"
Find out what's happening in Woodbridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The truck driver, who had blood on his face, was conscious and alert, Rooney said. "He said 'My name's Mike and he just kept screaming 'My f------ legs, my f------ legs!' over and over. I think he really messed up his legs; they were bent under him and pinned under the dashboard."
"I hopped up on the truck and called 911 and just kept talking to him and saying, 'You're tough, you're going to make it,'' Rooney said. "He was conscious and he stayed with me the entire time, until EMS came and made me leave the scene."
Find out what's happening in Woodbridgefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The driver was extricated and had to be rushed to Robert Wood Johnson hospital by helicopter, Sgt. First Class Gregory Williams of the State Police told Patch. His injuries were non-life-threatening, Sgt. Williams said. Woodbridge police assisted New Jersey State Police with the response.
The accident also caused a large fuel spill on Rt. 440, so the road was shut down during the Tuesday morning rush hour. Middlesex County haz-mat crews were called to the scene.
Now, Rooney only wishes he had caught the man's last name, so he could call the hospital and check up on him. "I just hope he's OK," he said. "That was definitely one hell of a morning."
Photo of the accident Tuesday morning supplied by Casey Lee Rooney.
Got a Middlesex/Monmouth County news tip? Email carly.baldwin@patch.com.
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