A Rock Springs man likely owes his life to an alert Albany County Official.
At about 5:40 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, Aimee Binning, Emergency Management Coordinator for Albany County, was travelling through Sweetwater County on Highway 191 when she stopped near the top of White Mountain to give her dog a break.
It was dark outside, and Binning noticed a distinct flashing of lights in the distance to the west.
“When I drove by, he was flashing his lights literally in a Morse code,” said Binning about the event. “I didn’t understand it, but I knew something wasn’t right.”
She called to report the sighting, and two deputy sheriffs, Mike Merkley and Brad Wallendorff, were dispatched to investigate.
An investigation found that the source of the headlights was a badly stuck Dodge pickup driven by Jeremy Vugrinec of Rock Springs. Wallendorff was able to get within half a mile of the vehicle and hiked in the rest of the way.
According to a release from the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Vugrinec’s vehicle was nearly out of gas. He said he was stuck in his cab for about 16 hours.
Officials credited Binning’s Actions with putting the rescue in motion.
“This was a life-threatening situation,” said Sweetwater County Sheriff Mike Lowell. “I don’t think he would have survived the night once he ran out of gas.”
Binning stops short of saying she saved Vugrinec’s life, though. She says his finding a unique way to notify people that he was in trouble is really the life-saving action.
“I think he was pretty smart in that he stayed in his vehicle because it was cold,” said Binning. “A deputy called me when I got to Pinedale and said I saved a guy’s life, but I don’t think I did. I think that’s an exaggeration. I think he saved his own life by bringing attention to himself.”