An Oregon man who drove off an embankment with four dogs in his car was saved by one of the dogs, who ran four miles through the woods to let his family members know that he needed help.
The next morning at approximately 9:30 a.m., Mr. Garrett’s brother Tyree called the police to report that Mr. Garrett had not made it to the campsite and that he had found his brother’s vehicle in a “steep, brushy ravine” but could not reach it or him.
Baker County Sheriff Travis Ash responded to the scene and heard a yell for help about 100 yards from the car, where Mr. Garrett had crawled from the car and spent the night. A dog was also spotted nearby.
Assisted by Baker County Search and Rescue Ropes Team and Pine Valley Rural Fire District, Mr. Garrett was rescued using a rescue basket and pulled out of the ravine using a highline rope system. All four dogs survived, but Mr. Tyree Garrett told NTD News that two were seriously hurt.
Mr. Brandon Garrett was transported by Halfway Ambulance to a Life Flight helicopter, which took him to a regional hospital. Mr. Tyree Garrett told NTD Mr. Brandon Garrett has since been released from the hospital with a fractured ankle and lots of bruises. He is recovering at home.
The main reason Mr. Brandon Garrett and his dogs survived was that the fourth dog ran four miles from the accident to the campsite to alert family members that something had happened.
Mr. Tyree Garrett said that the dog, Blue, showed up with glass embedded in his face from the crash. That’s how the colleague knew something was wrong.
The colleague and family members then searched the area of North Pine Creek, which is about eight miles long, through the night until they located the vehicle and Mr. Tyree Garrett and could notify police.
Mr. Tyree Garrett said, “When I found the pickup, I thought for sure he was dead.” Photos showed the truck on its side, far down in the ravine.
The incident happened on the northbound side of U.S. Forest Service Road 39. There were no reports of issues with visibility, bad weather, or obstruction on the road at the time of the accident.
“Baker County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank Baker County Search and Rescue, Pine Valley Rural Fire District, Halfway Ambulance, Life Flight and the U.S. Forest Service for their assistance during this rescue,” the press release said.
