LINCOLN CITY, Ore. — An elderly man and woman were safely rescued with the help of K-9 Officer Nix after driving off an embankment on Highway 20 and getting trapped overnight, says the Lincoln City Police

On Wednesday Lincoln City Police K-9 Officer Nix and her handler, Officer Snidow, were sent to Mile Marker 17 on Highway 20 around 2:30 p.m. to help locate a missing driver.

Police say the driver, an 81-year-old man, had driven off the embankment of Highway 20 the night prior. The crash was not discovered until 2 p.m. the next day by a passerby.

When Officer Snidow and K-9 Nix arrived, they began searching the area. K-9 Nix quickly located the driver, who had walked away after the crash, around 100 yards from his car and stuck in an area of dense blackberries. Police say the driver had apparently had a medical episode, and he was taken to a Newport hospital

Officers Snidow and Nix found an elderly female passenger inside the crashed car who was suffering from a head injury. She was rescued and also taken to the same hospital.

"This incident highlights the importance of the Police K-9 program available in Lincoln City," the department said in a press release. "As there were no other K-9 units available in the county, Lincoln City Police Officer Snidow and K-9 Nix were instrumental in locating the driver and ensuring he received medical care. The Lincoln City Police Department is grateful for the community support that allows us to run this beneficial program."

Lincoln City police dog helps Locate Missing Elderly couple in crashed car