Man has life-threatening injuries after falling off box truck, Lincoln Police say

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A man is in the hospital after he fell off the back of a box truck while painting fire hydrants on Tuesday, Lincoln Police say.

Around 1:22 p.m., officers and Lincoln Fire & Rescue crews were sent to a neighborhood near 84th Street and Old Cheney Road on a report of a traumatic injury.

When authorities arrived, they found medical crews attending to a 24-year-old man.

The man was taken to a local hospital with injuries that were life-threatening, police say.

Witnesses told police that a four-person crew of subcontractors had been in the neighborhood painting fire hydrants.

The victim and another employee were riding on the back of a box truck while traveling to each hydrant, police say.

While he was on the back of the truck, the victim dropped his phone and lost his footing when he jumped off the truck to reach for it.

The 24-year-old fell onto the street and hit his head on the ground.

Police say neither alcohol or narcotics were a factor in the accident.