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UPDATE: 16-year-old charged after truck taken down North Okanagan embankment

Driver was ejected from vehicle while out Westside Road area
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Vernon Search and Rescue pulled an individual from 60 feet down an embankment off a forest service road off Westside Road Thrusday, April 30. (Rope training photo from July 2019)

Rescue teams were called in to pull a young driver of a truck to safety after falling down an embankment.

RCMP, Ambulance and Vernon Search and Rescue (VSAR) teams were called out Bouleau Lake Forest Service Road, North Westside on Thursday, April 30 to assist in a motor vehicle incident. An unlicensed pick-up truck had gone off road and the 16-year-old driver and lone occupant was not wearing a seatbelt.

“The subject was ejected from their car and landed approximately 60 ft down an embankment,” VSAR said. “Our rope rescue team safely extracted the subject and released them to the care of the B.C. Ambulance Service.”

The driver, who possessed a Class 7 learner licence, sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by BC Ambulance Service. The driver was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act for driving contrary to restrictions.

“Given the challenging terrain, the assistance of Vernon Search and Rescue was required to bring the youth up the embankment to the waiting ambulance,” said Corp. Tania Finn, Media Relations Officer for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.

“Our rope rescue team is specially trained for low angle and high angle rescues, and were able to successfully put their advanced skills to use during this task,” said VSAR.

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Jennifer Smith

About the Author: Jennifer Smith

Vernon has always been my home, and I've been working at The Morning Star since 2004.
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