This could serve as a reminder for drivers to be prepared for winter conditions. An elderly man crashed his SUV into a ditch and then was trapped for 15 hours. He developed hypothermia and was rescued just in time. 

Man gets trapped in SUV and gets hypothermia 

An elderly man from Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania is recovering in the hospital after developing hypothermia. He was trapped in his SUV after wrecking into a ditch. 

According to police officers, the accident occurred around 5 PM on Monday night. Then the man was stuck in his vehicle for about 15 hours. 

Michale Tutolo was walking his dog around Hill Crest Country Club and Hillcrest Drive the next morning around 8 AM when he discovered the wreck. 

The SUV was hard to get to, it was covered with ice. He couldn’t see through the foggy windows or get the doors open. According to Fox 8 Live, his dog was barking like crazy, so he assumed someone was inside and called for help. 

Firefighters had a tough time getting through the ice to rescue the man. They broke a window to pull the man out and got him to safety with the use of a rope and sled. Then he was taken to a local hospital. 

The man didn’t have a cell phone with him so he couldn’t call for help. He left his SUV running for warmth until it ran out of gas. Firefighters said his winter coat may have saved his life as temperatures hovered around five degrees. 

Drivers can be prepared for winter by carrying extra blankets, water, non-perishable food, extra winter clothing, a phone, a flashlight, and chargers during the colder months.