Mt. Angel firefighters rescue woman, grandson from river
6:59 p.m. PST December 19, 2015
A woman and her grandson were rescued on Saturday afternoon from Zollner Creek after clinging to a tree for as long as an hour after their car crashed.
The Mt. Angel Fire Department received the call about 2:30 p.m.
Brice Hauth was among the 13 or 14 firefighters who responded. He coordinated the efforts to remove Michelle Schroll, 46, of Salem and her 11-year-old grandson from the water, estimated to be about 15 feet deep.
Hauth said that when he arrived the two were clinging to a tree and the vehicle was not visible. It took a few attempts to get a ladder down to the victims and hoist them out.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Schroll’s vehicle apparently struck part of the bridge and careened into the creek on Monitor McKee Road NE near Baron Road.
Hauth said they probably were hanging on for an hour before someone spotted them and alerted authorities.
Schroll and her grandson were taken to Salem Hospital. As of Saturday evening, a hospital spokesperson said both were in stable condition and being discharged.
Marion County Public Works employees were examining the bridge Saturday afternoon. Hauth said the road was closed after the crash and might be closed for a while due to guardrail damage.
It was not known when or how the car would be recovered.
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Natalie Pate 