Teen injured in Friday rollover

ROACHDALE — A 17-year-old driver was trapped for 40 minutes Friday after he rolling his pickup truck multiple times on Bainbridge-Roachdale Road.

Levi O’Neal of Roachdale was southbound in the area of County Road 1225 North when he attempted to pass a school bus and lost control due to ice on the road surface.

A pair of witnesses to the crash, who were in separate vehicles behind O’Neal, told Deputy Todd Hopkins that he accelerated to pass the bus, at which point he lost control and traveled off the west side of the road.

The truck entered a field and flipped three times before coming to rest on the driver’s side.

In the process of rolling, the driver’s side door of the truck came open, and O’Neal’s foot ended up outside the vehicle, trapped underneath.

Both witnesses stayed with O’Neal until responders arrived.

Roachdale Fire Department, PMH Ambulance and Putnam County EMS all arrived on the scene, with responders working for two hours to free O’Neal and then treat his injuries.

He was transported from the scene for treatment of the crash injuries to his foot and lower leg.

O’Neal admitted to Hopkins that he should not have attempted to pass the bus.

NOTE: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the amount of time that the driver was entrapped.