Dozens of drivers passed a Broome County resident trapped under a truck on Route 17 east of Binghamton desperately waving his arms for assistance until a Port Crane man stopped to help.

70-year-old Thomas Nowetner of Hillcrest was on his way to pick up a delivery for the Food Bank of the Southern Tier Friday morning when he pulled over to secure an item in the back of his vehicle.

Nowetner said his pickup truck rolled, knocking him down and pinning his leg under the vehicle. He said it was "a scary situation" as other motorists on the highway in the town of Windsor sped by at "70 miles an hour and three feet away."

Finally, Nowetner said "after about 20 minutes," 56-year-old Gene Gorman of Port Crane pulled over to help.

Gorman said he grabbed a jack from his work truck and used it to lift the pickup truck off Nowetner's leg.

Nowetner sustained a broken right leg. He was taken to Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City for treatement.

Nowetner was out do yard work Monday morning. He told WNBF News he was grateful Gorman pulled over to assist him. He said: "If he hadn't stopped, I don't know what I would have done."

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 772-8400 extension 233.

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