The collaborative efforts of local citizens and deputies from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department rescued a man from a sinking car in the waters of Folsom Lake Friday.
According to information provided by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to Brown’s Ravine Friday morning for reports that came inof a car that was sinking into the waters of Folsom Lake a fair distance from the shore in the area of the Hobie boat launch area of Folsom Lake Marina.
While El Dorado County Sheriff’s Deputies and personnel from the El Dorado Hills Fire Department were in route, boaters that were on the lake stepped in to assist. Using their vessel, the boaters were able to stop the car from going further into the lake by pushing it towards the shore. At this time, it was unknown that there was still an occupant in the vehicle.
El Dorado County Sheriff Deputy Patrick Rude was the first to arrive on the scene and observed that there was an elderly man trapped in the vehicle in which the boaters had stabilized, keeping it from sinking any further and below the windows. According to the department, Deputy Rude sprang into action and made his way into the water. Rude was able to reach the man and assist him out of the car and helped him safely to shore.
Fire personnel attended the man to insure he was ok after the incident.The department did not disclose what transpired to cause the man to lose control of the vehicle and roll into the lake. Deputy Rude’s main focus of duty for the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department is that of a School Resource Officer (SRO). After the rescue, the department reported that Rude made a quick change out of his soggy uniform and returned to his duties at the school district.
