The Region - News from July 5, 1987

A heavy safe being hauled down a flight of stairs in Santa Ana fell on the man who was allegedly trying to steal it and broke his leg and arm, police said. Daniel Joseph Lawyer, 24, of Santa Ana was found lying in a gutter and calling for help, Lt. Jack Nelson said. Lawyer’s leg was broken in at least eight places, he said. “From what we heard, he really shattered it,” Nelson said. “He must have been in a lot of pain.” A key was used to gain entry to Pool Supply of Orange County Inc. on Main Street about 3 a.m., Nelson said. The safe was pried loose from bolts holding it down on the second floor. But as the man was taking it downstairs on a hand dolly, “it got away from him, and it went all the way to the bottom, breaking the stairs,” Nelson said. Despite his injuries, the man managed to crawl downstairs, out the door and about 150 yards to where a security guard saw him and called police, Nelson said. “He (Lawyer) first indicated he’d been hit by a hit-and-run vehicle, but the injuries were inconsistent with his story,” Nelson said. Lawyer, listed in stable condition at Western Medical Center, will be booked for investigation of burglary, Nelson said. He did not know how much money was in the safe.