A Chelan Man Died When His Truck Plunged 500 Feet Into The Chelan River
The Chelan County Coroner has made a positive identification of the individual killed in a single-vehicle accident on the old Gorge Road near Chelan on Saturday.
Chief Ryan Moody with Chelan County Sheriff's Department says the victim was 58-year-old Vladimir Stepanov of Chelan. He was the lone occupant of a vehicle that plunged off the edge of the Gorge Road. The coroner determined that Stepanov died from multiple injuries sustained in the crash. Toxicology results indicated that drugs and alcohol were not factors in the incident.
Moody says the accident was reported to Chelan Fire & Rescue on July 4th at approximately 4:30pm. An individual called to report a vehicle had possibly gone off Gorge Road between Chelan and Chelan Falls. Moody described the gravel road as wide but with a steep drop-off and no guardrails.
Chelan Fire and Rescue and deputies from the Chelan County Sheriff's Office responded to the area and located a pickup submerged in the Chelan River at the bottom of the canyon. Moody estimated the truck came to rest some 500 feet below the road.
Deputies used a drone to locate and assess the scene while fire personnel established a rope rescue system to safely access the vehicle. Chelan County PUD temporarily restricted the flow of water in the Chelan River to assist rescue personnel in reaching the vehicle, recover the victim, and assist with the removal of the vehicle.
The Sheriff's Office is investigating the cause of the crash, and anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information that could assist investigators is asked to contact Chief Moody via email at: Ryan.Moody@co.chelan.wa.us