A 94-year-old man who was reported missing by a friend was found clinging to life in his crashed vehicle near Eagle Lake on Highway 139 early Monday morning.
Sunday evening, at around 8:45, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle accident on Highway 139. The reporting party stated he received a phone call from his 94-year-old friend who crashed his vehicle and was down an embankment in a tree line.
The crash victim unfortunately was unable to provide his exact location but believed he was on Highway 139, near Hagata Road. The reporting party stated the victim was likely traveling north bound from Susanville to his residence at Eagle Lake.
Numerous agencies including Cal-FIRE, Cal-Trans, Spaulding Fire Department, SEMSA, California Highway Patrol and the LCSO canvassed the area extensively without results.
“The search area was expanded from the Susanville City limits north to County Road A1. Personnel also canvassed the entirety of County Road A1 for safe measure,” explains LCSO Sergeant Bryan Sullivan.
Attempts were made to electronically ping the victim’s cell phone for a location to no avail.
“Search personnel continued diligent and methodical searching of the area. Road conditions were icy and visibility was very limited due to the heavy snowstorm.”
At about 12:30a.m., a Deputy located the vehicle about fifteen miles north of the reported crash location.
“The vehicle was located on the east side of Highway 139, down an embankment, near Eagle Lake. Deputies got down the steep embankment where the vehicle was sitting on the passenger side and resting against a tree.”
The victim was accessed by climbing on top of the vehicle and breaking windows.
According to Sullivan, the driver was hypothermic and non-responsive, but breathing. The victim was cut from the seat belt and positioned so that when fire and medical personnel arrived they could extricated him from the vehicle.
The unidentified man was subsequently transported to a medical facility.
“The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all first responders for their dedicated efforts locating the victim and providing medical care. We wish the victim a full and speedy recovery.”
