Bainbridge Island firefighters had to extricate a man from his car after it crashed into a ditch off Highway 305 Saturday evening.

Firefighters used “jaws of life”-type tools to pry open the car after it flipped on Highway 305 near Agatewood Road on Aug. 10.

“The car was upside down,” said Fire Marshal Luke Carpenter. “Because of the nature of his injuries he had to be airlifted to Harborview (Medical Center).”

Others on the highway became concerned about the driver moments after seeing him heading south on Highway 305.

The driver, a 27-year-old man from Bainbridge Island, was followed by an island couple after he was observed driving away from the Clearwater Casino. The couple called police and told them that a casino employee attempted to flag the driver down as he left the parking lot and almost hit a parked car.

The couple followed the man as he erratically drove to the island without his headlights on. He swerved into the oncoming lane while crossing the Agate Pass Bridge and continued onto the island.

The couple kept a distance while following the driver and eventually came upon his car after it was in the ditch.

After reading the driver his Miranda Rights, police asked the driver if he would give a blood sample to determine his blood alcohol level.

“No sir, I will not,” the driver replied, according to the police report.