Car stuck: an elderly driver found trapped in his car in Saint-Georges

An elderly driver was found suffering from severe hypothermia inside his car stuck in the snow, on a snowmobile trail in Saint-Georges.

Had it not been for the vigilance of a walker, the octogenarian would have remained in this place at the risk of losing his life.

Around 1:30 p.m. Friday, emergency services arrived near the intersection of the 182^e Street and 23^e Avenue.

“A lady arrived quickly asking for a telephone. We took the truck. I ran and the car was overturned in the ditch,” says Guillaume Cormier, educator and co-owner of Maison Let’s go, an educational establishment located nearby.

For an unexplained reason, the motorist would have continued his way beyond the dead end of the 182^e Street. Lost or disoriented, he could not provide an answer.

We do not know how long the man was able to spend alone in the passenger compartment, but his exit from the road could date back to Thursday evening due to the snow accumulated on his vehicle.

“The person was conscious. He only said the words “hot coffee”. We put our coats on him. He was in a state of advanced hypothermia,” adds Mr. Cormier, who quickly acted as first responder with other teachers. A rescue unit was also needed to evacuate the patient.

Mr. Cormier admits that the situation was becoming critical for the victim. “It’s a team effort. If the lady had not been there, no one would have seen him. There is a stream, but the water has not entered the car. The person was not able to get out. He may have spent the night and the morning there.”

As several children saw the emergency services, questions had to be answered. “We explained what hypothermia is. We hope the best for him,” he concludes.

The man was transported to Saint-Georges hospital. His state of health has not been disclosed.