ALPINE–Sheriff’s deputies on Monday rescued a truck driver found stuck for 24 hours in a ravine in Alpine.
Deputies from the Alpine Sheriff’s Station received a request, just after 5:30 a.m., to check on an overdue interstate big rig drive. The driver’s GPS was showing him parked eastbound along the Interstate 8 viewpoint parking lot. The driver was overdue and they had not been able to contact him, according to Sheriff’s department spokesman Sgt. Howard Kluge.
Deputies found the truck parked in the lot with the engine running and the headlights on. The cell phone and wallet of the driver were located inside the cab of the truck. Fearing the driver might have experienced a medical emergency and fallen down the steep viewpoint ravine; deputies requested the assistance of a United States Border Patrol tracking dog, Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter and the Sheriff’s Department Search and Rescue Unit.
After searching the area by air for approximately 30 minutes the driver was located by ASTREA at the very bottom of the ravine near a creek bed. He had been stuck in the ravine for more than 24-hours and had no means to call for help.
Alpine Fire Protection District and CAL FIRE personnel hiked down into the ravine and treated the driver for exposure and dehydration. They were also hoisted out of the steep area by ASTREA.
The driver was taken to a hospital for further treatment.
