83-year-old man sleeps in trunk after car swerves off road into creek

COWLITZ COUNTY, Wash. (KPTV/Gray News) - An 83-year-old man was rescued from down a 25-foot slope after spending the night in his trunk Friday Washington State.

Firefighters said the 83-year-old man drove off a road around 8:30 p.m. Friday. KPTV reports he was driving home when another car turned the corner, blinding him with the headlights and causing him to swerve off the side of the road.

The man’s car came to rest partially in a creek bed with water coming inside. Officials said he could not find his cell phone and was unable to get out of his vehicle. He reportedly made his way to the trunk of his car and slept there the rest of the night.

The man eventually found his cell phone when it beeped because it was low on battery, authorities said. He then called 911 for help.

The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office and firefighters responded at 6:30 a.m. and used ladders to get to the man and bring him to safety.

He was taken to the hospital with chest injuries, an ankle injury and effects from exposure to cold weather.

Copyright 2022 KPTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.