A sharp-eyed passerby spotted a vehicle early Sunday morning that left the roadway of County Road P46 about one-quarter mile north of the Raccoon River near Dawson, careened down a steep ditch and came to rest in deep mud and heavy tree cover.
Sean Jones of Perry said he was traveling south on the county road about 1 a.m. when he saw fresh skid marks leading toward the west ditch. He slowed his pickup truck and turned to point its headlights into the deep ditch, and that was when he saw the vehicle about 75 feet from the road, he said.
“I yelled down there but didn’t hear anything,” Jones said, standing at the scene about 1:15 a.m. “I saw the dome light was on, so I knew it couldn’t have been down there for long.”
He said he called 911 and waited for emergency crews to arrive. Dawson Fire Chief Bill Kempf responded along with the Dallas County Sheriff’s office, Dallas County EMS, Perry First Responders and the Perry Volunteer Fire Department.
The circumstances causing the vehicle to leave the roadway are unknown at this hour. The make and model of the vehicle could not be discerned due to extensive damage caused by the fall and heavy mud covering it.
No occupants were found in or near the vehicle, and emergency crews searched the vicinity for possible victims.
The suspense was relieved when Dallas County Deputy Sheriff Taylor Hawk announced the driver, who was not immediately identified, had been located safe and sound. The driver apparently walked away from the incident unharmed and returned home.
The incident remains under investigation at this hour. ThePerryNews.com will update this story as information becomes available.
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