Three witnesses save B.C. driver from sinking pickup truck

NELSON — Police in Nelson, B.C., are crediting three witnesses who jumped into Kootenay Lake to rescue a driver from her submerged and sinking pickup truck.

The department said in a social media post it received reports of a car that had driven over an embankment and into the lake at the Chahko Mika Mall parking lot around 1:20 p.m. on Halloween.

The post says the trio of bystanders quickly jumped into the water to pull the woman out of her vehicle.

It says the driver was assessed and released by paramedics at the scene.

Police say a towing company was also called in to recover the truck from the lake, “minimizing any environmental impact.”

The post says alcohol and drugs are not considered a factor, but the cause remains under investigation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2026.