A 58-year-old Chelan man was killed Saturday after his pickup went off Old Gorge Road and dropped an estimated 500 feet into the Chelan River, according to local officials.
The Chelan County coroner identified the driver as Vladimir Stepanov and said he died from multiple injuries. Toxicology testing showed drugs and alcohol were not factors in the crash.
Chief Ryan Moody told NewsRadio 560 KPQ that Chelan Fire & Rescue received a call around 4:30 p.m. Saturday from someone who reported a vehicle might have gone off Gorge Road between Chelan and Chelan Falls. Responders later found a pickup submerged in the Chelan River roughly 500 feet below the roadway.
Chelan County deputies used a drone to locate and assess the scene while fire crews rigged a rope rescue system to reach the vehicle at the bottom of the canyon. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office is investigating the cause of the crash, NewsRadio 560 KPQ reported.
Steep Gorge Turned Crash Scene Into Technical Rescue
Old Gorge Road runs along a gravel ridge with steep drop-offs and limited roadside barriers, which makes any driver error or mechanical issue potentially catastrophic. The Chelan River cuts through a tight, steep-walled gorge, terrain that can quickly turn a crash into a technical rescue operation, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
Local responders leaned on that playbook, using drones to scout the canyon and rope systems to reach the submerged pickup in the river below.
Deputies Seek Witnesses As Cause Remains Unclear
The Chelan County Sheriff's Office is still working to determine what sent Stepanov's truck off the road. Investigators have not said whether mechanical problems, road conditions or some other factor may have contributed to the crash, and they continue to review the scene along with the coroner's findings.
Detectives are asking anyone who saw the incident or has information about the pickup on Old Gorge Road that afternoon to contact Chief Ryan Moody by email at [email protected], as reported by NewsRadio 560 KPQ.
The deadly plunge underscores how unforgiving the remote Gorge Road corridor can be. Authorities are urging drivers traveling between Chelan and Chelan Falls to use extra caution, stay on maintained driving surfaces and avoid pulling over along narrow or exposed stretches.
