911 calls from a cougar attack last Saturday near North Bend, which killed one person and injured another, paint a picture of both confusion and compassion. One of the biggest problems was a lack of cell phone service.
The attack happened about 10 miles north of the city, on a logging road in a heavily wooded area. Issac Sederbaum was cut up and bleeding from the attack. His friend, S.J. Brooks, had also been attacked. Sederbaum was speeding south on his mountain bike -- riding for his life and to get help for Brooks.
The first call came at 10:54 a.m. and immediately went dead. Five minutes later, another call came in asking whether responders could hear him. He then said "help."
The line went dead again, but deputies were able to get approximate GPS coordinates from his phone -- just off Tolt Reservoir Road. The King County Sheriff's Office immediately called him back, got him on the phone and transferred the call to 911 dispatchers.
"King County with a transfer. He says him and his friend were attacked by a mountain lion. I'm trying to figure out where they're at," the sheriff's office said. At the same time, they were trying to stay connected with Sederbaum "Sir. Sir."
"I'm on a logging trail north of North Bend," Sederbaum responded.
Sederbaum made it to the main road and flagged down a passing car. The passenger called 911 and tried to help guide emergency responders.
"Hello. Hi there, do you know what road you're on?" the dispatcher asked.
"Yeah, we are on the North Fork of Snoqualmie," the passenger responded.
WATCH: Why do cougars attacks?
The call dropped out. After two more attempts by dispatchers to call back, a man named Matt answered.
"He's conscious, yeah. He's got some pretty serious lacerations on his face and head," Matt said.
This call lasted more than 13 minutes, during which time a third good Samaritan arrived. With Sederbaum stable and supervised, Matt told the operator that he and his companion were going to go try to find Brooks.
A short time later, paramedics reached Sederbaum. Police, along with Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife agents found Brooks and eventually killed the cougar.
