Deputies, UTV Rescue Stranded Driver, Child in Mountains

Morrow County Deputies had a busy day heading into the weekend, rescuing a stranded driver and their child from a mountain road.

Deputies got a 911 call about a truck that got stuck in the mountains above Cutsforth Park, which is about 12-13 miles SE of Heppner, OR. It's in a mountainous area.

The driver, despite being in a large 4WD truck, had become impossibly stuck in deep snow. Deputies located them after about 90 minutes of searching, using their new UTV tank tracked side by side vehicle.

The Deputies even gave the driver and their child a courtesy ride home, but unfortunately nothing could be done for the Dodge, as of Monday it's still stuck up in the snow.

Morrow and Umatilla County Deputies warn citizens that most roads, parks and recreation areas in the mountains (even lower elevations) are still clogged with deep snow, and it's not a good idea to be out four-wheeling until the levels go down.

Both Morrow and Umatilla County have these newer side by side tracked vehicles, and the number of such 'rescue' operations this winter is into the double digits between the two counties.

This also goes for other areas with higher elevation rural roads that have seen heavy snowfall.