Man freed from Route 51 crash, flown to hospital
Alyssa Choiniere| Herald-Standard/
Fire crews work to free Fayette Waste, LLC driver Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt from a wreck on Route 51 in Franklin Township at about 1 p.m. Friday. He was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital with injuries.
Volunteer firefighters worked for more than an hour to free Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt from a Fayette Waste LLC. truck which hit a tree down a hillside along Route 51 in Franklin Township at about 1 p.m. Friday while a Fayette EMS medic monitored his vitals.
A triaxle truck driver was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital after he was freed from a wreck on Route 51 in Franklin Township Friday afternoon.
Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt is finally freed from a garbage truck which crashed along Route 51 in Franklin Township at about 1 p.m. Friday.
Firefighters congratulate each other on a successful extrication after freeing Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt from a wreck along Route 51 while Fayette EMS and STAT MedEvac prepare the driver for a medical helicopter flight to Pittsburgh.
Emergency crews lift Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt after freeing him from a wreck along Route 51 in Franklin Township after working to extricate him for more than an hour.
A team of first responders lifts Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt up a hill along Route 51 after working to free him from a wreck for more than an hour Friday afternoon.
"Glad you're still with us, brother," witness Jeff Petrucci tells Marvin Mills, 61, after he was extricated from a crash along Route 51 Friday afternoon. Petrucci saw the crash and rushed to Mills' aid.
STAT MedEvac and Fayette EMS prepare Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt for a medical helicopter flight to Pittsburgh after the garbage truck he was driving careened down a hillside along Route 51 Friday afternoon.
Jeff Petrucci watches as crews finally free Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt from a crash he witnessed on Route 51 at about 1 p.m. Friday. He rushed to the man's aid, along with four others.
Fayette EMS and STAT MedEvac load Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt into a medical helicopter for a flight to Pittsburgh after he crashed along Route 51 Friday afternoon.
STAT MedEvac prepares to take off with Marvin Mills, 61, after he crashed along Route 51 Friday afternoon.
First responders secure Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt on a stretcher to prepare him for a medical helicopter flight to Pittsburgh.
STAT MedEvac takes off from Route 51 carrying Marvin Mills, 61, to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh after he crashed along Route 51 in Franklin Township Friday afternoon.
STAT MedEvac takes off from Route 51 carrying Marvin Mills, 61, to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh after he crashed along Route 51 in Franklin Township Friday afternoon.
State Police Tpr. Jeffrey Bamberg checks on Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt after Mills was extricated from a wreck along Route 51 in Franklin Township Friday afternoon.
After more than one hour, crews finally freed Marvin Mills, 61, from a garbage truck which smashed into a tree along State Route 51 in Franklin Township at about 1 p.m. Friday.
State Police Trooper Jeffrey Bamberg investigates a crash along Route 51 in Franklin Township after Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt was freed from the wreckage. Bamberg determined a vehicle malfunction may have sent the Fayette Waste, LLC. garbage truck down the hillside Friday afternoon.
Firefighters congratulate each other after freeing Marvin Mills, 61, of Vanderbilt from a wreck along Route 51 while Fayette EMS and STAT MedEvac prepare the driver for a medical helicopter flight to Pittsburgh.
Witness Jeff Petrucci looks on after Marvin Mills, 61, was freed from the wreckage of a crash along Route 51 in Franklin Township Friday afternoon. Petrucci, along with four others, rushed to Mills aid immediately after the crash.
A Vanderbilt man was flown to a trauma center after volunteer firefighters worked for more than one hour to free him from the wreckage of a garbage truck that careened down a hillside and into a tree.
Driver Marvin Mills, 61, was driving a Fayette Waste, LLC. truck north on State Route 51 (Pittsburgh Road) when a possible vehicle malfunction caused the truck to suddenly pull right at about 1 p.m. Friday afternoon, according to state police. The truck, which was carrying a dumpster, rode over the guide rail for about 650 to 820 feet before it propelled itself down a hillside in Franklin Township, Fayette County. The cab slammed into a tree, trapping Mills inside. The tree held the truck and Mills above Redstone Creek, preventing it from tumbling further down the steep hill.
“The guard rail saved his life. The damn tree saved his life,” said Jeff Petrucci, who witnessed the crash and rushed to the man’s aid. “One foot to the left and he was a dead man.”
He said he was expecting to find a body in the truck and looking for something to cover it up when he saw Mills reach his arm out the window.
“I was so relieved the guy was alive,” he said, and crossed himself. “Thank God.”
He watched attentively as Smock, Perry and Flatwoods fire crews worked to free Mills from the wreckage, and checked updates from Fayette EMS as they monitored his vital signs while his lower body was pinned in the truck. Finally, the man was freed.
Petrucci applauded. “Alright, man. You’ll be alright,” he said.
Crews formed a line to lift Mills up the steep hill and hoist him onto a stretcher.
Firefighters exchanged handshakes and broad smiles, congratulating each other on their successful rescue.
“Glad you’re still with us, brother,” Petrucci said to Mills as Fayette EMS and STAT MedEvac prepared him for a medical helicopter flight to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Petrucci and Kelly Jacobson, who both witnessed the crash, said the truck was going straight and suddenly turned sharply right, both describing it as though he had just missed a turn.
“He was mumbling something about his wheels,” Petrucci said. “I was just trying to get his damn door open.”
Four other people immediately rushed with Petrucci to the crash scene, wrenched the door open and pried the steering wheel off of him. Petrucci had a cut on his face where the door caught his head. Firefighters arrived in less than five minutes, he said.
The extent of Mills’ injuries was not yet known Friday afternoon.
He was driving between 45 and 55 miles per hour when the accident happened, police said.
State Route 51 was closed in both directions for about three hours.
“Anybody who doesn’t believe in miracles, bring them out here today,” Petrucci said.