Good Samaritans help save DOT worker

A New Jersey Department of Transportation worker is lucky to be alive, thanks to the efforts of several people who stopped to help him. The DOT worker was on litter patrol on Interstate-80 when he

News 12 Staff

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Jul 30, 2015, 6:33 AM

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Updated 3,332 days ago

A New Jersey Department of Transportation worker is lucky to be alive, thanks to the efforts of several people who stopped to help him.

The DOT worker was on litter patrol on Interstate-80 when he was run over by a Chevy Malibu and pinned underneath, Tuesday morning.

Two people quickly stopped to help the worker, but they were unable to get him out from under the car.

That's where tow-truck driver Richard Growe comes in. He stopped to help as well, and saw that the worker would not simply be slid out from under the car because he was too far down.

"That's when I figured I could use the stinger on the truck," says Growe.

Within moments, Growe was able to lift the top end of the car and the other two people who stopped to help, a volunteer EMT and an ex-fireman, were able to get the worker out.

The EMT and firefighter were able to help revive the worker before the ambulance arrived. He was taken to the hospital and was listed in serious condition.

Growe says he was happy to help, because as a tow-truck operator, it could have easily been him that was hit.

"We fear this all the time," he says. "We know it happens."

New Jersey State Police are investigating the accident.