BELFAST, Maine — A doctor who was dragged and pinned by his truck Thursday afternoon was listed in serious condition Friday at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
Harry Richter, an ear, nose and throat specialist at Waldo County General Hospital in Belfast, was taken to Bangor by LifeFlight helicopter for treatment Thursday, according to Chief Mike McFadden of the Belfast Police Department.
Rescue crews used the Jaws of Life to move the truck off Richter, who is in his late 60s.
According to McFadden, Richter had driven home with his daughter, who is about 13 years old, and stopped the truck in the driveway of their Bayview Street home. He had not shifted the truck into park, but because he had braked and stopped on an incline, the vehicle stopped moving even after he took his foot off the brake.
Richter got out of the car for a moment, and his daughter reached over to turn the engine off. When she did, the truck began rolling down the hill toward the road.
The doctor rushed back to the vehicle to try to stop it, but was caught by the truck. He was dragged and then trapped under the front suspension when the truck came to a stop across the street on a neighbor’s lawn.
“If you see a vehicle rolling into the street with your daughter in it, you’re going to do anything you can to stop it,” McFadden said. “His actions were pretty heroic, if you think about it.”
Healing thoughts his way. He is a wonderful doctor.
Hope he has a full recovery.
Ok parking instructor thats what we will do…GOOBER
what is up with people on BDN sites calling everyone goobers?? Are you trying to call someone a bad name and replace with goober? Guess I need to brush up on my BDN lingo
What are your experiences gears and brakes? I’m assuming the truck was stopped and out of gear when the Doctor exited the truck. I can’t see how turning off the engine would cause the truck to suddenly start rolling. I don’t believe this young lady turning off the engine had anything to do with causing this unfortunate accident.
Evidently you do not know much about cars. The engine running with the truck in gear, would hold the truck on the encline. When she shut the engine off, no more torque on the trransmission, so the truck would roll down the hill.
As Perryauger said, an automatic transmission in good repair would hold that pick-up there all day with the motor at idle while in gear.
When you turn the engine off then the hydraulic pressure is lost as the pump is no longer turning, the clutch packs release from the lack of pressure and off you go.
Technical enough for you???? or would you prefer a schematic???
I would imagine that the doctor knows he should have put the car in park. Maybe he simply forgot, or had a senior moment, as they say. In any event, thank you for talking as though we are a bunch of idiots, but next time, please don’t. Instead, focus on getting over yourself.
When you see a story show up over and over regarding a man’s condition being serious or critical, it usually doesn’t end well.
However…he’s in his late 60’s with a 13 year old daughter? Keep on Keepin’ on there doc!
To frankie420: the article states: “…because he had braked and stopped on an incline, the vehicle stopped moving even after he took his foot off the brake…” so, please check your assumptions.
To Dolbylandfill: The point is, if vehicle is in gear and engine is running, you are still DRIVING, even if you get out of the vehicle. It is just that your vehicle no longer has a driver onboard! And no, I am not a Parking instructor, but I do teach driving safety, actually.
Hey, folks this here is a learning moment.
If you do know the people involved, you can offer sympathy.
For the rest of us it comes down to “what can I do to not have this happen to me?”
Does anyone believe this story?