The car used to drag a man along a road in the Burnfoot area has been found burned out in Steelstown, Co Derry.
Dungiven man Adrian McLaughlin was seriously injured when he was dragged and hit by another car while trying to stop raiders who had been trying to steal his lorry.
The 53 year old is in a stable condition in Altnagelvin Hospital.
The man was attending a wake of his father-in-law in Burnfoot in Inishowen around 7.30pm on Monday when he noticed two men close to his truck.
Garda Superintendent Eugene McGovern said as he approached the men, they got into another car – a silver Mercedes – which was parked close to his vehicle.
He tried to stop the men and managed to hang on to the door of their car as they headed towards the Bridgend roundabout going towards Derry.
However, as the man held on the driver swerved into the path of an oncoming car which struck the man hanging onto the car.
Mayor of Buncrana, Cllr McLaughlin, who witnessed the incident and phoned the ambulance, said the man was “lucky to be alive.”
The man was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital where he is being treated for two broken legs, pelvis and chest injuries.
The car in which the men made their gateaway was found burned out in the Steelstown area of Derry.
Superintendent McGovern said anyone with information about the incident should contact investigating officers at Buncrana Garda Station, telephone (00353) 74 932 0540.