An East Coast man traveling cross-country saw a vehicle roll down an embankment into the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota on Monday, jumped into the water and rescued the driver as his fellow traveler and fiancée called 911 for help.
The instant hero opportunity occurred about noon near the Dresbach rest area along Interstate 90, said Winona County Sheriff Ron Ganrude.
“We’re always looking for feel-good stories, and this certainly is one,” Ganrude said. “Obviously, they are really good people who jumped into action and saved this man’s life.”
The driver, 37-year-old Joseph John Kingrische, of Eau Claire, Wis., was taken by emergency medical responders to a hospital in La Crosse, the sheriff said.
Ganrude identified the Good Samaritan duo, who were on their way back to the Boston area, as Dustin Colson-Leaning, 32, and Brittany Pashkow, 31. The couple are scheduled to be married next month, according to their wedding announcement.
A deputy who responded to the scene said Kingrische suffered an unspecified medical emergency while driving on I-90 and pulled into the rest area but soon lost control of the vehicle and plummeted “down a steep embankment and into the Mississippi River.”
Colson-Leaning and Pashkow had parked their camper in the rest area and saw the vehicle enter the river.
Pashkow called 911, and “Dustin jumped into action to help the motorist who was semi-conscious in the vehicle. While the vehicle was submerging into the river, Dustin was able to pull the driver’s door open to free the motorist. He then assisted the motorist to shore to receive medical care,” the deputy’s statement read.
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