Multiple emergency crews responded to the Cullasaja Gorge area over the weekend to rescue a man who had fallen down the mountain. The man told rescuers he had been there about three days, according to the 911 call log.
The call came into the Macon County 911 center about 8:57 p.m. Friday. Macon County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the rock cut area in the Cullasaja Gorge where a motorist reported they thought they had seen a light and after stopping heard someone yelling on the opposite side of the river (the California Mountain side).
Cullasaja Fire & Rescue was dispatched at 9:35 p.m. Fire Chief Bobby Henry said the fire department helped search and determined where the man was located. They could see a small light from where the man was in a patch of trees on the cliff. At 9:52 the fire department reported they were trying to figure out how to gain access to the area.
Macon County Fire Services responded to the scene and at 11:33 p.m. they deployed a drone, manned by the county’s licensed drone pilot, Luke Ledford, to assist with the operation.
Todd Seagle, 911 communications supervisor, who is also trained to use the drone, said the drone is equipped with an infrared camera, has the capability to detect heat signatures and has a “really incredible zoom camera.” A previous test with the camera clearly captured images 2 1/2 miles away.
Seagle said although they knew the general area where the man was located it took time to get a clear picture of him with the drone because about half his body was wedged behind a rock. Using a PA system from a deputy’s car they called out to the man to raise his arms and he responded.
Seagle said once they located the man with the drone, they were able to shoot a laser that gave the exact GPS coordinates to relay to the search and rescue workers.
Seagle said when dealing with elevation, even 10 or 20 feet can make a big difference. He said the rescue workers kept saying their GPS indicated they were right on top of the man, but they couldn’t see him. It was because they were still above him rather than on the same elevation.
The Mountain Rescue Team out of Haywood County arrived on the scene around 2:35 a.m. The rescue team repelled down from the California Mountain side of the gorge. Henry said because of the steep terrain and brush cover, it took the team more than four hours to reach the man.
About 6:13 a.m. Macon County Fire Services reported verbal contact had been made with the man about 50 feet from his location. The man was found about 475 feet down the side of the mountain. Seagle said as the man stepped out toward the rescue workers, he slipped and fell about another 30 feet.
An initial report on his condition came in at 7:07 a.m. A National Guard helicopter arrived at the scene at approximately 8:30 a.m. The helicopter sent down medical personnel to assist the 37-year-old man. The 911 call log states he was conscious and alert with a possible right tibia fracture, sprained ankle and wrist, bruised ribs and mild hypothermia.
Seagle said the man was lucky the motorist saw the light from his flashlight. “As the night progressed, his flashlight was getting dimmer and dimmer. If they hadn’t found him, his flashlight probably would have gone dead Friday night and who knows how long it would have been before he was found.”
Seagle said the drone is useful in searches in wide open spaces and when the leaves are off the trees. But once the trees are full, the drone can’t penetrate the forest canopy to see the ground.
The man was lifted into the helicopter shortly after 10 a.m. and flown to the Macon County Airport where EMS was waiting to transport him to a trauma center. The helicopter then returned to the scene to hoist the rescue personnel from the ground.
“No rescuer, officer or fire personnel were injured, thank God,” stated the Facebook post from Cullasaja Fire & Rescue. The report from the fire department stated the man’s injuries were not life threatening.
Early reports indicated it was believed the man was a lost/injured hiker. Henry said the man’s car was located and he told rescue workers he had been taking pictures when he fell. At 8:40 a.m. Sunday MCSO Cpl. Joel Lynch reported from the scene that the subject was a breaking and entering suspect.
Lynch looked around some of the houses in the area and talked to a homeowner, and all seemed secure. The 911 call report states Lynch also went to look around the Dragonfly Lane area where there had been a previous breaking and entering arrest. Everything was OK there as well.
“The involved individual was arrested, back in February, for breaking into a residence. The residence is not too far from that location, so deputies checked the area as a precaution,” MCSO Capt. Jonathan Phillips said Monday.