Young man taken on wild ride in his wheelchair

A man was taken on a wild ride when his wheelchair became lodged in the grille of a semitrailer truck and was accidentally pushed down a highway for four miles (6.4 kilometers).

Photo: Young man taken on wild ride in his wheelchair

The 21-year-old man, whose name was not released, was unharmed but was taken to a hospital as a precaution. He had been secured to his wheelchair by a seat belt.

"The man spilled his soda pop, but he wasn't upset," said Sgt. Kathy Morton of the Michigan State Police.

About 4 p.m. Wednesday, a caller told police dispatchers, "You are not going to believe this: There is a semi truck pushing a guy in a wheelchair on Red Arrow Highway," state police said in a release.

Authorities initially wondered whether the report was a prank call until others called with similar reports.

Officers stopped the truck wheelchair still attached at a trucking company. The driver did not believe officers until he stepped from his cab and saw for himself.

"When he saw us, he was like, 'What's going on?"' Morton said.

An investigation revealed the man in the wheelchair had pulled in front of the truck at a gas station and it somehow became lodged by its handles to the front grille.