A Robbins man died Monday when a vehicle he was attempting to tow out of a ditch rolled back onto him.

Lawrence Wayne Porter, 54, died in the accident, according to the Moore County Sheriff's Department. A preliminary report indicates that a winch may have failed.

Rescuers asked for a helicopter to airlift Porter to a hospital, but one could not fly due to weather conditions in the Triangle.

Porter, who worked for Burgess Body Shop and Towing in Robbins, was called by the State Highway Patrol to the scene of a single-vehicle accident off Holly Grove Road in Eagle Springs. A black Chevrolet pick-up truck was stuck in a ditch.

No one was injured in the car wreck. The tow truck winched the vehicle out of the ditch and began to load it onto the roll back.

According to the Moore County Sheriff's Department investigation report, a deputy was directing traffic when he heard a commotion and saw the truck rolling off the back of the tow truck and then back into the ditch.

The deputy then heard a scream for help. He ran over and found Porter lying in the ditch near the truck. It appeared that the truck had rolled over him. The accident happened about 10:08 p.m.

There were no visible injuries but the man was bleeding from the mouth and nose. Paramedics arrived at the scene and requested a helicopter. A short time later, word came in that helicopters weren't flying due to the weather.

Paramedics pronounced Porter dead at 10:32 p.m. Deputies informed the victim's son, Aaron Porter, at the scene.

The N.C. Department of Labor is investigating the death. A spokesperson said in an e-mail to The Pilot Tuesday that a preliminary report showed that a winch failed.

The investigation will include interviews with witnesses, fellow employees and the employer and inspection of other company equipment.

Matthew Moriarty can be reached at 693-2479 or by e-mail at moriarty@thepilot.com.