An 80-year-old Margaretsville man escaped serious injury despite being trapped in his overturned truck for more than an hour and being airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville for head injuries.

Trooper T.C. Wood of the state Highway Patrol said the single-vehicle wreck occurred around 3:15 p.m. Sunday on Highway 186 outside Seaboard.

Jack Harlan ran off the road in his truck and struck a ditch, which caused the vehicle to overturn.

Witnesses traveling behind the man saw him go over the crest of a hill and then noticed debris in the road, an overturned road sign and utility box when they approached the wreck. The truck was in a wooded area and overturned on the passenger side.

The witnesses called 911 and fire and rescue came to the scene. They cut the top of the truck off to get him out.

If the witnesses had not recalled seeing the truck in front of them and had not seen the debris, the overturned truck could have easily been bypassed, Wood said.

There was nothing the witnesses could do to get Harlan out of the truck without proper equipment, the trooper said.

Harlan had visible head injuries and was taken to Pitt where he was later released.

Wood said it is not clear what caused Harlan to wreck and it is undetermined whether he will be cited.