Police say efforts to find driver of abandoned car likely saved a life

Police say efforts to find the driver of an abandoned car in Kings County last week likely saved his life.

Roughly eight hours after the initial call came in, officers found the driver about a kilometre away from the crash site. He was suffering from exposure.

Kings District RCMP responded to a call at 6:09 a.m. on May 5. The caller told the RCMP there was a vehicle in the ditch off of North River Road near McGee Lake, which is near South Alton, N.S.

Officers found the vehicle on its side in knee-deep water in a ditch. A small dog was located inside.

There was some blood inside the vehicle but no one was found in the immediate area.

Police contacted the vehicle's owner, who told officers that a family member had been driving with the dog to a cottage near where the collision happened. No one was at the cottage when police arrived.

An RCMP police dog and handler were called to the area after other efforts to locate the person were unsuccessful.

But police continued to search and spotted something white at the tree line at around 2 p.m.

It was the driver, who was in medical distress. Officers provided first aid and called paramedics.

Police say the driver was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, but have since been told by the family that the man is soon expected to be released from the hospital.

The driver told the RCMP that he lost control of his vehicle on a corner while on his way to the cottage.

The dog has been returned safely to its owner.

Police say no charges will be laid.