Troopers say the man whose car was found in the Kenai River on Tuesday was reportedly walking in and out of traffic after leaving his vehicle. They still do not know how his vehicle ended up there, though.
On Monday, Dec. 16, Cooper Landing Emergency Services responded to a report of a vehicle in the Kenai River at Sportsman’s Landing. When CLES arrived, they located a blue 2019 Hyundai Accent partially submerged near the boat ramp.
The following day, on Dec. 17, around midnight, the Department of Public Safety says a motorist notified Alaska State Troopers of an adult male wandering into traffic on the Sterling Highway near mile 55, across from the Russian River Ferry access.
The Trooper Dispatch on the incident says a State Trooper and Court Services Officer, who happened to be near the area, located the adult male and identified him as showing signs of severe hypothermia. The man then informed Alaska State Troopers that he had crashed his car into the Kenai River and had extricated himself from his vehicle. He was then transported to a Soldotna area hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Upon locating the sedan near the Russian River ferry boat launch, Alaska State Troopers removed the 2019 Hyundai Accent from the Kenai River the same day with the help of volunteer crews working throughout the night.
Since then, the cause of the vehicle entering the Kenai River has not yet been determined and remains under investigation.