GENESEE FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a Good Samaritan trying to help a western New York man in distress turned out to be a Bad Samaritan.

The Wyoming County Sheriff's Office says a 58-year-old man's foot got stuck under his mower last week as he mowed a sloped lawn near an embankment in the town of Genesee Falls.

Deputies say his cries for help were heard by 31-year-old Christopher Ratcliffe, who had stopped at a nearby gas station while driving back to Pennsylvania.

Police say Ratcliffe tied a rope from his vehicle to the mower. But instead of backing up Ratcliffe went forward, causing the trapped man, the mower and Ratcliff's vehicle to go over the 12-foot-high embankment.

The mower landed on the man but he escaped with minor injuries.

Ratcliffe was ticketed for driving a vehicle that was uninsured, uninspected and unregistered.