Tangent Fire Crews Rescue Waterlogged Motorist

A firefighter said the man was lucky to have his cell phone, as the outside temperature was around 37 degrees.

Car in the water on Tangent Dr near Country Rd, just west of Tangent. Photo by: Dennis Weis Photographer/Firefighter Tangent Fire Department

(TANGENT, Ore.) - Tangent firefighters were called out to a report of a car in the water on Tangent Drive near Country Road, just west of Tangent Oregon tonight.

Dennis Weis with the Tangent Fire Department, says the call came through at 9:35 PM after the motorist, stuck in the half-submerged vehicle, was able to get a cell phone connection.

"The road was flooded and he lost sight of the road and ended up in the ditch about 150 yards from where he left the dry/wet road," Weis said.

As the picture shows, the driver came very close to going completely underwater. Weis says this is a rural road; the type of place where somebody could be without help for an extended period of time.

"He was lucky to have his cell phone as the outside temp was around 37 degrees," Weis said.

Paramedics took the man, whose name was unavailable, to the hospital for treatment for being very cold from the experience.