Trucker critically injured in accident at store

Published 11:15 am Tuesday, July 15, 2025

A Tennessee man was critically injured following a July 9 accident involving a semi-truck in the parking lot of Lowe’s in Milledgeville, local authorities say.

The injured man was identified as Thomas Darrell Coffman, according to an incident report filed by Milledgeville Police Department Officer Dalton Skaggs.

Coffman was treated at the scene by firefighters/first responders with Milledgeville Fire Rescue Services and personnel with Atrium Health Navicent Emergency Medical Services. He was later flown from the scene by Air Evac Lifeteam medical helicopter to Atrium Health Navicent-The Medical Center in Macon.

The incident happened shortly after 7 p.m. on the lumber side of Lowe’s Home Improvements at 1731 N. Columbia St. Police received a call shortly after the incident that indicated an 18-wheel tractor-trailer truck had fallen on someone.

In his report, Skaggs said he talked with the man who alerted police, Michael Tracey Ford of McIntyre. The officer said he spoke to Ford at the driver side rear tires of a 2006 Peterbilt Model 379 semi-truck.

Between the first and second rear tires, Skaggs said he saw the injured man, who had sustained what was described as a severe head jury.

The police officer said there was a black object pressing down on the injured man’s head.

“Ford stated the airbag must have slipped off the truck while Coffman was working on it, and it was crushing Coffman’s head,” Skaggs said. “I attempted to gather nearby cinderblocks with Ford in an attempt to help level and lift the truck off Coffman.”

City firefighters arrived and used a specialized tool known as “Jaws of Life” to lift and level the truck while Ford depressed the truck’s airbags, allowing firefighters and EMS personnel to remove Coffman.

Skaggs said the critically injured man was in and out of consciousness.

The police officer said Ford told him he was driving through the area and noticed a new Komatsu PC290 tractor on the trailer of the truck that Coffman had been hauling.

“Ford stated he stopped and took a picture of the new tractor when he noticed Coffman laying under the truck without his boots on,” Skaggs said. “Ford stated he thought this was odd and approached Coffman. Ford stated he called out to Coffman and Coffman did not respond, and that was when Ford got closer and noticed the truck airbag was crushing Coffman’s head and called 911.”

Milledgeville Police Department Lt. Jim Thompson telephoned Coffman’s employer, B&H Heavy Haul, as well as the Bridgeport, Alabama Police Department.