ELLSWORTH, Maine, Sept. 29 (UPI) -- Police in Maine said a small dog was to blame for driving its owners pickup truck into a lake by knocking the vehicle out of gear.

The Ellsworth Police Department said the Yorkie's owner had been walking the dog around Branch Lake Saturday afternoon and he put the canine back into his pickup truck while it was idling.


Lt. Harold Page told the Ellsworth American the dog "knocked the truck out of gear and it rolled down the parking lot into the lake."

The Ellsworth Police Department said in a Facebook post the dog was rescued from the submerged pickup by a woman who is a friend of the owner.

"The truck was fully submerged and without the quick response of the family friend the man would have lost his companion. She is a hero in my book," the post said.

Police said the pickup was fished out of the lake by a towing crew, but the vehicle was considered a total loss.