PLAINS TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A man in Luzerne County is recovering after being hit by a car and undergoing surgery to remove part of his leg. Now, friends of the family and the victim's fiancée are speaking out.
Mike Emanuel of Plains was at Valley Mart on River Street on his birthday, last Monday morning, when police say a drunk driver swerved off the road and ran him down while he was pumping gas.
Kristi Scott tells Newswatch 16 she received a phone call last Monday about her fiancé Mike, that would change their lives forever.
"She said, 'Your husband Mike has been in an accident, and he has a broken leg. He was hit by a car,' so, I panicked," Scott recalled. "I couldn't believe what had happened. It was a serious, serious injury, and I was just so scared for him."
Police say Mike was pumping gas on his 38th birthday, when a drunk driver ran off the road and barreled through the gas station, hitting him.
Because of his injuries, Mike's left leg had to be amputated from the knee down.
"He's doing amazing for what had happened. He's so strong, and I'm so proud of him. He's doing as best as he can be," added Scott.
Plains Township police have surveillance video of the incident and tell Newswatch 16 the driver of the vehicle, Derrick Winbrone of Wilkes-Barre, failed a field sobriety test. They are waiting on lab results before charging him with DUI, aggravated assault by motor vehicle, and other charges.
"Mike deserves justice. People need to know what that man did to him and that it's not OK. This isn't just an injury that's going to be healed, you know, in a couple months. This is something he's going to be dealing with the rest of his life," Scott said.
A friend of the family has set up a GoFundMe page to help Kristi, Mike, and their eight-year-old daughter Sophia.
"Medical expenses, living expenses, obviously, trying to replenish what they're losing out on with being out of work and also to help with the wedding because that's going to be a little bit limited with the events that happened," said family friend Laura Kapral.
Despite the hardship, Kristi and Mike won't let it stop them from tying the knot in April.
"He's hoping to get the prosthetic by then so he can be able to walk down the aisle and dance a little bit at the wedding," Kristi said.
Plains Township police tell us this is still an ongoing investigation.