Worker injured when thief takes truck with cherry picker

A thief drove off in a truck with an extended cherry picker, seriously injuring a worker fixing a cable line, police said. 

PASADENA - A man attempted to steal a Charter Communications truck while a Charter employee was 30 feet above in the vehicle's crane basket fixing a cable line, police said. 

The Charter employee was hurled from the basket when the suspect drove away in the vehicle, police said. The basket hit a tree, severing the boom from the vehicle and launching the basket and its occupant to the ground, said Sgt. Pete Hettema. 

The victim sustained massive injuries and is in serious condition, Hettema said. 

The suspect initially approached another Charter employee who was on the ground during the cable repair project at about 2 a.m. Tuesday near Washington Boulevard and El Sereno Avenue, Hettema said. The suspect asked to use the man's cell phone and soon after jumped into the truck's cab and took off, Hettema said. 

He drove about a block before striking the tree that flung the other charter employee to the street. He kept driving, severing a number of trees and cable lines before he was stopped by police nearly four blocks later, Hettema said. 

Police are still investigating the incident and have not yet released the suspect's name.