KINGSTON — Icy conditions are thought to have contributed to a one-car rollover crash that destroyed the vehicle and sent a local man to the hospital early Jan. 21.

North Kitsap Fire & Rescue crews were called to Parcells Road at its intersection with Dronawood Road at 7:32 a.m. after several callers reported the incident. Among the initial callers were teenagers awaiting a school bus nearby and the driver on his way to pick up the students.

The first firefighters were on the scene in less than six minutes and found the older sport utility vehicle severely damaged and off the roadway, NKF&R spokeswoman Michele Laboda reported.

The driver and sole occupant, a Kingston man in his 40s, was conscious but trapped inside the mangled car.

“It was clear that the vehicle had rolled several times before coming to rest upright in a swampy area,” Laboda reported. “Firefighters had to work in water up to their knees and use hydraulic extrication equipment to remove the car’s roof before popping open the doors and free the man – just 15 minutes after their initial arrival on scene.”

Although the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the cause of the crash, firefighters say that roads were unexpectedly slippery at the time. “They encourage drivers to be aware of winter temperatures and, especially in areas of high nearby moisture content from swamps and wetlands, anticipate the potential for icy conditions,” Laboda reported.

The man was taken by paramedic unit to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton with injuries that are not thought to be life-threatening, Laboda reported. There were no other injuries to firefighters or civilians.