EAST BRIDGEWATER — On Wednesday, Sept. 24, at approximately 3:55 a.m., East Bridgewater police and firefighters were dispatched to Pleasant Street near where it intersects with North Central Street following a report of a motor vehicle accident.
According to a joint statement from Fire Chief John Dzialo and Deputy Police Chief Michael McLaughlin, the preliminary investigation indicates that a Boston man driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck left the roadway and went over a guardrail while negotiating a curve. The truck landed on its side in the river.
Firefighters used a stokes basket — a rigid stretcher designed for rescues in difficult terrain — to safely lift the man from the river. He was then transported by a West Bridgewater Fire Department ambulance to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.
Two dogs were in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Firefighters and police removed them, and Rockland Animal Control transported both to VCA South Shore Weymouth Animal Hospital. One dog suffered more serious injuries than the other.
“This was a difficult scene in the middle of the night, and I want to commend our firefighters, police officers, and mutual aid partners for their teamwork in rescuing both the driver and his dogs,” said Chief Dzialo.
The vehicle was pulled from the water, and the scene was cleared around 5:56 a.m. The East Bridgewater Police Department is continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.