Man crushed beneath pickup truck

By DENISE RAYMO
Staff Writer

May 27, 2009 03:28 am

— MALONE — A Malone man died Monday when the truck under which he was working rolled off its supports and crushed him.

Gerard L. Reyell, 40, of 189 Fitzpatrick Road was pronounced dead at the site by Franklin County Coroner Brian Langdon.

The pickup truck was raised on tire ramps in his yard while Reyell worked underneath, according to a news release from Malone-based State Police.

But the truck rolled off and pinned him, investigators said.

He was discovered about 7:15 p.m. Monday by one of his children.

Randy Warner, a neighbor who knew Reyell, heard of the incident on his scanner and rode his three-wheeler to Reyell's house to help.

"I got there and started pumping up the jack, but it was too late."

Warner said it appeared that Reyell was working near the front tire on the driver's side of the Dodge Dakota pickup truck.

It did not appear that the truck was in park nor were there any restraints behind the back wheels, Warner said.

"I would drive by and stop and talk with him once in a while," he said.

"He was a good guy."

An autopsy performed Tuesday at Alice Hyde Medical Center by Dr. Leonardo Dishman ruled the cause of death as asphyxiation due to chest compression.

The death was designated as accidental.

— Staff Writer Joe LoTemplio contributed to this report.