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‘He can’t swim’: Man rescued after car plunges 35 feet into frigid creek

CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. — A man is safe Wednesday night after he had to be pulled from his car as it sank into a Cleveland County Creek.

The crash happened Tuesday night on Airport Road. Authorities said the man was on his way home from work when he ran into a detour that forced him onto a dark road he didn’t know well.

Waco Volunteer Assistant Fire Chief Willie Williams said the man did not see the curve and drove his SUV off a 35-foot drop into Buffalo Creek.

“He didn’t see the curve and went straight off the bridge," Williams said. “He was very blessed that he was uninjured.”

Firefighters said he called his wife after he landed in the creek and asked her to call 911 for him.

“Did he fall off the bridge in his vehicle,” the dispatcher asked.

“Yes ma’am, I think so. I couldn’t understand him. He told me to hurry up and call you guys,” the 911 caller said.

Firefighters told Channel 9′s Gaston County reporter Ken Lemon the man landed in the deepest part of the creek and the water was waist high and moving faster than normal.

“He can’t swim. He just called me,” the 911 caller said.

The panicked wife had trouble telling dispatchers how to find the man. She said he didn’t know because of the detour.

Several emergency officials fanned out across the area looking for him. Cleveland County deputies got to the creek first and waded into the frigid water.

Deputies said normally if they face a situation like this, they wait for firefighters to arrive, but they were afraid the river might sweep the SUV down stream.

Deputy Robert Taylor said he barely saw headlights in the water as he was crossing the bridge. He said he was the first to see the driver standing on the hood of his car.

“I just got very slight glimpse of possible lights,” Taylor said. “He was fearful, scared of that water.”

Taylor and Lieutenant Jody Seagle made a human chain holding on to a tree to try and reach the man. Deputy Jimmy Ellis said the crew was standing in the swiftest part of the creek and even with the human chain, the driver had to jump to get to them.

“He completely submerged when he jumped,” Ellis said.

The driver was able to grab Ellis’ hand and deputies pulled him out. Deputies helped him back up to the top of the road and firefighters put him in their truck to warm up.

“I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking being wet and the temperatures in the low 30s," Williams said. That’s a first for me. I have been here 21 years and that’s the first time that I have ever had one like that.”

Firefighters said this is a problem that more people may face because of the detour in the area. They said if you are not familiar with a road, try to keep your eyes on the path ahead, even if you are following a GPS.

“I’m just thankful that we were there,” Seagle said.

Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman said he could not be more proud of his deputies.

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