Victim survives for 5 days following 27 minute submersion

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BladesRobinson

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FLORIDA / LAT 27°39.133' / LON 080°22.261' / ICW M
Kennewick man pulled from river Saturday has died
By Franny White, Herald staff writer

The Benton County Coroner’s Office is looking at hypothermia as a possible cause of death for the 26-year-old Kennewick man who drove into the Columbia River on Saturday.
Joshua Michael Olson died Thursday night at Kadlec Medical Center, where he had been in intensive care since Saturday, a hospital spokesman said Friday morning.
Olson may have tried to take his own life at 6:20 p.m. Saturday when he drove his PT Cruiser into the river near Howard Amon Park.
Columbia Basin Dive Rescue pulled him out of the river after being underwater for about 27 minutes.
Coroner Rick Corson said he is still reviewing medical and police records.
No autopsy is planned because there doesn’t appear to be anything suspicious or inconsistent with Olson’s death, he said.


***BACKGROUND***
Monday, May. 05, 2008

Kennewick man in critical condition after driving into river

By the Herald staff


A 26-year-old Kennewick man is in critical condition at a Richland hospital after driving into the Columbia River in Richland on Saturday.
Joshua Michael Olson remained in the intensive care unit Sunday at Kadlec Medical Center.
Richland police say it appears Olson tried to take his own life by driving his PT Cruiser onto the grass at Howard Amon Park behind the Red Lion Hotel and accelerating down into the water.
Columbia Basin Dive Rescue pulled him out of the submerged car. Olson had been underwater for about 27 minutes, said Richland police Sgt. Brian Ruegsegger.
"People wanted to jump in to save him, but he was 50 feet out in about 15 feet of water," Ruegsegger said, adding that the water temperature was about 47 degrees. "It's cold. There's not much you can do. Even the diver in his suit said it was cold. ... It took the diver seven minutes to get him."
Olson was reported missing about 6:15 p.m. Saturday.
Witnesses called 911 about 6:20 after watching Olson drive into the river.
 
The guy died from drowning, the hypothermia allowed him to linger for 5 days.

I am not sure what our coroner is thinking. Hopefully the paper got the story wrong.
 

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