SHELLEY — A local man ended 2025 by narrowly escaping tragedy.

The man’s car plunged into the Snake River in the area of West Fir Street in Shelley on Wednesday night, leaving him trapped inside the partially submerged vehicle in icy water. The man, who lives in Shelley, used his cell phone to call his mother, who immediately contacted 911, triggering a multi-agency New Year’s Eve water rescue operation.

Bingham County Search and Rescue personnel, alongside deputies from the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, Shelley police officers and volunteers from the Shelley-Firth Fire District and Shelley-Firth Ambulance, worked together to pull the man from his vehicle and bring him safely to shore.

The man was transported by ambulance to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls where he was treated for minor injuries and released, authorities said.

Rescue crews had to battle darkness and freezing water temperatures as they worked to reach the man trapped in his car as it took on water and began sinking in the Snake River.

After rescuing the man, emergency crews were able to recover his car from the river as well.

“We closed out 2025 with a successful intra-county water rescue,” the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office said in a Thursday Facebook post.

The man’s name hasn’t been released.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. Authorities have not released any details about what caused the man’s vehicle to enter the river.

Nighttime water rescues in winter conditions pose significant dangers to both victims and rescuers due to the risk of hypothermia in frigid water and the challenges of operating in darkness.

But in Bingham County on Wednesday night, the emergency responders were definitely up to the task.

“We would like to thank everyone involved and the community for their continued support,” the Sheriff’s Office said via Facebook. “Happy New Year!”