Okeechobee County Fire Rescue said a 25-year-old Palm Beach man was rescued from a creek early Tuesday after a second vehicle struck him on a Florida Turnpike bridge, sending him about 15 feet into the water.
The man had been checking on his vehicle after a single-vehicle crash, according to Okeechobee County Fire Rescue, as reported by CBS12. Crews were called around 3:45 a.m. Nov. 10 to northbound mile marker 182 after a report of a man in the water.
Firefighters found him clinging to a small island about 100 yards from the bank. The fire-rescue account said crews used a backboard to bring him to safety in darkness and high water following recent rainfall.
Air Rescue flew him as a trauma alert to Lawnwood Medical Center in Fort Pierce.
Turnpike roadside assistance
Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise says shoulders are for emergency use only and advises drivers with car trouble to dial *FHP for assistance, according to its safety and assistance guidance.
The agency also says its Road Rangers Safety Patrol provides free motorist assistance daily throughout the Turnpike system. Motorists can request help by dialing *347, according to the Road Rangers program information.
