Pennsylvania man dies after being dragged by tractor trailer

Published 8:11 am Thursday, April 9, 2015

A 30-year-old Johnstown, Pa. man died Wednesday afternoon when a co-worker got into a tractor trailer the man was working on and drove away, dragging him approximately 85 feet down a slightly graded hill.

Joshua W. Weyandt, an employee at Snyder Excavating, was pronounced dead on the scene of multiple injuries by Jeffrey Lees, Chief Deputy Coroner Jeffrey Lees of Cabria County.

“(Weyandt) was underneath the back wheels of a trailer repairing an air hose line when another co-worker got into the truck and moved it, not realizing (the victim) was still underneath the truck,” Lees said.

Lee believes Weyandt was killed instantly when the tractor trailer, a 2003 Western Star lowboy, ran over him. 

Police and Lees are investigating the incident, but Lees said, “it appears to be a freak accident.”

An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

Patrick Buchnowski writes for the Tribune-Democrat in Johnstown, Pa.