Coast Guard, locals rescue man from car in water near Portland, Feb. 13

Coast Guard and multiple local agency personnel rescued a man from his car, after it had gone into the Multnomah Channel just north of Sauvie Island Bridge near Portland, Friday, Feb. 10. A 29-Foot Response Boat-Small II crew from Coast Guard Station Portland pulled the man from the water and safely transferred him to emergency medical service personnel, who transported him to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River in Astoria received the initial notification at 10:06 p.m. from Portland Bureau of Emergency Communications dispatchers, who, in addition to Mercedes-Benz customer service representatives, had been in communication with the driver via the vehicle’s built in communications. The driver reportedly blacked out and used the built-in communication tool in the grey 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 after he regained consciousness while in the water and still inside the car. The boat crew arrived on scene at 10:33 p.m., located the driver who was now in the water outside of the vehicle and clinging to it. The driver reportedly had to break the back window in order to get out of the vehicle and injured his hands in the process. Also on scene were members of the Portland Fire and Rescue marine unit and dive team, Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office marine and patrol units, and Sauvie Island Fire Department. The boat crew transferred the driver at 10:44 p.m. to American Medical Response EMS personnel at Rocky Point Marina, where the driver was last reported as suffering from hypothermia and lacerations to his hands suffered while escaping the flooded vehicle. Weather on scene was 38 degrees F, mostly cloudy with isolated showers, 10-mile visibility, with calm winds and seas.