March 7, 2025 – Sierra County Sheriff’s Office officials report that on March 5, 2025, at approximately 10:03 A.M., the Sierra County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a single-vehicle crash on Highway 89, approximately three miles north of Calpine in Sierra County. The reporting party was a motorist who passed the wreckage but was unsure if anyone was in the vehicle.

Due to the unknown condition of the driver, Eastern Plumas Ambulance, Sierra County Fire, the California Highway Patrol, and a Sheriff’s Deputy were immediately dispatched. Upon arrival, responders located a vehicle approximately 30 feet down the hillside along Highway 89. A single occupant and a dog were found inside the vehicle. Sierra County Fire requested mutual aid from the U.S. Forest Service and Graeagle Fire to assist in extracting the driver from the wreckage.

After nearly an hour of meticulous work by local responders, the driver was safely removed from the vehicle and transported to the hospital with moderate injuries. The dog appeared to be uninjured and is currently being cared for by a friend of the driver. Further investigation revealed that the driver had been trapped in the vehicle for nearly 22 hours before being discovered.

The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.

A huge thank you to the California Highway Patrol, Sierra County Fire, Graeagle Fire, the U.S. Forest Service, Eastern Plumas Health Care, Caltrans, and Sierra County Deputies for their quick response to this incident.

View video here.

Source & photos: Sierra County Sheriff’s Office