MANHEIM, Pa. -

The 57-year-old owner and founder of a Syracuse, N.Y.-area vehicle transport company lost his life following a tragic accident at Manheim’s flagship facility. Jeff Rotella passed away Oct. 8 at Lancaster General Hospital in Lancaster, Pa., according to various media reports.

A day earlier, Rotella apparently became pinned by a Ford F-350 pickup truck when an air hose reportedly became dislodged while he was loading vehicles onto his carrier outside Manheim Pennsylvania, Penn Township police reported.

Once the situation came to light, about a dozen men came to his rescue to lift the truck. He was rushed to the hospital.

An autopsy found the official cause of death was mechanical asphyxia.

The coroner ruled the death accidental.

He had been the owner of Jeff Rotella Transport Corp. for 15 years and was an apparent regular at the Manheim auction, which hung a banner in Rotella’s memory.

“At approximately 4:45 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7 at our Manheim Pennsylvania location, an independent truck driver was injured when he became pinned under his own vehicle while loading cars onto his truck. Emergency personnel were called and he was taken to Lancaster General Hospital, where he later died. The police are still investigating the incident and have not released a report," Tim Van Dam, vice president and general manager of Manheim Pennsylvania, said in a statement provided to Auto Remarketing.

"Jeff was a great partner and example of the relationship we have with the trucking industry at Manheim. He was a leader in his field, at this auction and in his personal life. We will miss him. Our prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time," Van Dam added.

A statement on the transport company’s website read: “With profound sadness, we tell you of the passing of Jeff Rotella. He was the not only the founder of Rotella Transport but he was the person who put it all together every day of the week, every week of every year.

“Jeff was a devoted and loving husband, father, brother, uncle and friend. As a ‘boss’ he expected a lot from us and returned it with interest back to us. He touched many lives with his acts of kindness, generosity, knowledge, determination, propriety, and humor,” the statement continued. “Happy trails, Jeff. We’ll meet again.”

The transport company site can be found at www.rotellatransport.com.