Highway Patrolman Sees Car Overturned in Freezing River, Rescues Woman Trapped Inside
On Thursday, one woman near Emigrant, Montana, found herself in a terrifying predicament.
While it’s not clear exactly how she got there, her car ended up upside-down in the icy Yellowstone River.
According to KPVI-TV, Park County Sheriff Brad Bichler said there were first responders on the scene 18 minutes after the call came in.
Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Connor Wager was one of those first responders who got the call and hurried to the scene. He moved quickly and, with the help of two deputies who held a rope attached to him, he was able to enter the water and save the woman’s life.
The Montana Highway Patrol posted about the incident on social media on Friday, giving a verbal play-by-play.
“Yesterday Trp. Connor Wager responded to a rollover crash south of Emigrant,” the department tweeted. “After arriving on scene, he found a vehicle on its roof with the front end completely submerged in the Yellowstone River.
“The driver was trapped inside the vehicle & the water was nearly freezing.”
1/3: Yesterday Trp. Connor Wager responded to a rollover crash south of Emigrant. After arriving on scene, he found a vehicle on its roof with the front end completely submerged in the Yellowstone River. The driver was trapped inside the vehicle & the water was nearly freezing. pic.twitter.com/obCYTqab7G
— Montana Highway Patrol (@MTHwyPatrol) January 15, 2021
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“Wager tethered himself with a rope & entered the water making his way through the fast moving current to the overturned vehicle.
“The strong current prevented the rear hatch from opening, so he broke through the rear window with a rescue tool & pulled the woman out of the car.
2/3:Wager tethered himself with a rope & entered the water making his way through the fast moving current to the overturned vehicle.The strong current prevented the rear hatch from opening, so he broke through the rear window with a rescue tool & pulled the woman out of the car. pic.twitter.com/GTn3GPCxDO
— Montana Highway Patrol (@MTHwyPatrol) January 15, 2021
“With the help of first responders on the shoreline, Trooper Wager and the victim were able to make it safely back to shore where the driver was treated by EMS,” a third tweet continued.
“Trooper Wager was treated for minor injuries & released.”
3/3: With the help of first responders on the shoreline, Trooper Wager and the victim were able to make it safely back to shore where the driver was treated by EMS. Trooper Wager was treated for minor injuries & released.
Thank you Trooper Wager for your heroic efforts!
— Montana Highway Patrol (@MTHwyPatrol) January 15, 2021
Neither the trooper nor the driver was seriously injured (though Wager required a few stitches), which was no small miracle given the scene, the water conditions and the fact that the car was totaled.
The highway patrol’s Facebook post alone has been shared over a thousand times and currently has over 6,000 reactions. Many have chimed in to thank the brave trooper for his selfless actions.
The Park County Sheriff’s Office also posted about the rescue, commending all who were involved in the extraction.
“Due to some very quick and heroic work by Deputies, Highway Patrol and Paradise Valley Fire, the driver was rescued and brought to safety with no major injuries,” the sheriff’s office shared on its Facebook page. “East River Rd will be closed for just a little while between Six Mile Creek and Murphy Lane while we get things cleaned up. Outstanding work by all!”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
