Deputies rescue man and dog lost in freezing temperatures after vehicle crashes into Lake Pueblo

A 50-year-old Pueblo man is safe after being rescued near Lake Pueblo in freezing temperatures.

According to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, the man became lost in the bitter cold after crashing his vehicle into the frigid waters of Lake Pueblo.

Deputies responded to the area of Highway 96 near the South Wildlife entrance to Lake Pueblo just after midnight, to assist Colorado State Patrol in searching for the lost man.

Deputies say the man called for help after becoming disoriented while searching for his dog after the crash.

The man believed the dog was swept away in the water at the lake, and down the Arkansas River.

The man said he was driving in the area when he crashed his Jeep into the reservoir. The man said he was able to get out fo the vehicle, but believed he saw his dog floating down river.

The man tried to follow along the river to rescue the dog but was unsuccessful. That is when he realized he was lost and called for help.

After making contact with the man, deputies were able to find the man walking in 14 degree temperatures about two miles away from the crash site. The sheriff’s office says the man’s clothes were wet and frozen, but he did not suffer any serious injuries.

The man was treated briefly by AMR personnel and released to a family member.

Deputies and Colorado State Parks Rangers returned to the area of the accident later Sunday, and searched for the dog for several hours.

The dog was located unharmed inside the man’s vehicle when the tow truck driver removed the vehicle from the accident site.