Crime & Safety
Virginia Mountain Rescue: Missing Driver Found Down Embankment
Giles County, VA – A search for a stranded 40 year old driver in southwest Virginia ended successfully Thursday evening, October 29, after emergency responders located the man and his vehicle hundreds
By Dylan Reeves · 2026-10-30T11:00:09.950Z
Giles County, VA – A search for a stranded 40 year old driver in southwest Virginia ended successfully Thursday evening, October 29, after emergency responders located the man and his vehicle hundreds of yards down a steep embankment in a remote section of Peters Mountain.
According to the Giles County Sheriff 's Office, emergency dispatchers received a 911 call directly from the stranded man Thursday evening after authorities had searched for him the previous day.
Until that call, communication with the man had been limited to information relayed through family members.
911 Call Helps Narrow Search Area
Authorities said the call provided a more accurate potential location, although emergency personnel were unable to establish further contact with the driver, apparently because of poor connectivity.
Investigators also reviewed historical location information, but the data was unreliable and indicated several possible locations across Giles and Montgomery counties.
The new information allowed rescuers to concentrate their efforts on a remote section of Peters Mountain in the Kire area of Giles County, near the Blacksburg region.
Vehicle Found Hundreds of Yards Down Embankment
Responders eventually located the vehicle approximately 200 to 300 yards off the roadway , down a steep embankment.
The driver was found alive and was not injured, according to the sheriff's office.
Rescue personnel transported him out of the difficult terrain to a waiting ambulance.
He was then taken to Giles Community Hospital for further medical evaluation.
Multiple Emergency Agencies Assist
The response involved Giles County sheriff's personnel, Giles County Emergency Services, Pembroke Fire Department, Giles Rescue and Blacksburg Rescue.
The Virginia State Police Aviation Unit was also requested to assist with the search.
Officials confirmed the operation concluded without injuries to the driver or emergency responders.
The sheriff's office thanked the participating agencies for their cooperation and coordinated response.
Authorities did not release additional details explaining how the vehicle ended up down the embankment.