Officers likely saved man’s life, RCMP say

RCMP officers spent eight hours Tuesday searching for the driver of an abandoned car that was found on its side in a ditch in Kings County, and their efforts likely saved the man's life, the police force says.

In a news release Saturday, RCMP said officers responded to a call just after 6 a.m. about a vehicle that had gone off North River Road near Mcgee Lake.

Officers discovered the vehicle on its passenger side in the ditch in knee-deep water, with only a small dog inside. There was blood in the vehicle, RCMP said, but a short search of the immediate area did not find anyone.

Police contacted the owner of the car, who advised them that a family member had taken the vehicle, with the dog, to drive to a cottage near the crash scene. Officers checked the cottage, but there was nobody there.

After exhausting all possible leads — including family, friends and the local hospital — on the whereabouts of the driver, officers called an RCMP police dog and its handler to the scene of the crash.

It was during that search, at about 2 p.m., that police spotted something white in a tree line about a kilometre away from the vehicle.

That turned out to be the driver, who was in medical distress and suffering from exposure to the cold.

Officers provided first aid and called for paramedics, who transported the man to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The man's family has updated police that his condition was “very serious,” RCMP said, but he is expected to be released from hospital soon.

RCMP said the driver told officers he lost control of the vehicle on a corner on the way to the cottage.

The dog was returned, safe and sound, to its owner. Police said no charges will be laid.