Caltrans workers rescue woman trapped in crashed car, return days later to save dog

CHESTER, Calif. - A Ukiah woman and her dogs were rescued earlier this month after she crashed and went off a steep embankment in Northern California.

Tina Milberger was driving on State Route 32 near Chester on Nov. 2 around 11:30 p.m., when her car overturned and slid 130-feet down the road's edge, according to the CHP. She was left hanging upside down and stranded overnight for over seven hours, they said.

The next morning two Caltrans workers were plowing snow in the area and found tire marks leading off the roadway.

Vic Baccala and Chuck Braswell said they shined a bright light down the embankment and Milberger began honking her horn. The workers said they called 911 immediately.

Emergency crews pulled the woman and three of her four dogs to safety, officials said. Milberger was air lifted to Enloe Hospital with major injuries.

After learning that one of the dogs, ‘Macho,’ was still missing, Caltrans officials said one of their employees, Shannon Kenyon, went to the crash site daily to try and find the dog. 

Caltrans worker Shannon Kenyon and 'Macho,' after rescue. Photo credit: Caltrans District 2

A few days had passed, and officials said Kenyon, a dog lover, was concerned the ‘Macho’ wouldn't survive much longer with another storm headed to the area.

"I walked over to the edge and I yelled ‘Macho,’" said Kenyon as he visited the crash site one last time before the night's end. "I walked to where I could see down the hill and I saw something red move". 

Kenyon said he knew it had to be the dog's red collar, so he grabbed his gloves and headed down the mountain.

‘Macho’ was growling and scared at first, Kenyon said, but after a few minutes he warmed up to him and let him carry him up the embankment.

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"I just remember saying to him, ‘You’re going to have to trust me. You have to trust me. You have to get out of here, you can’t stay here,'" said Kenyon. "So I reached out, put my arms around him, and he let me pick him up, he just leaned into me and up the hill I went with this 40 plus pound dog." 

Kenyon said he kept ‘Macho’ overnight and reunited him with Milberger the next day. It was an emotional reunion for all, he said.