Driver clings to roof of SUV after crash into rushing river, California officials say
A woman was rescued after her SUV crashed into a rushing river, California officials said.
After crashing into the Trinity River near Junction City on Saturday, Feb. 10, the woman climbed out of the SUV’s window and up onto the roof, California Highway Patrol - Trinity River said in a Feb. 12 Facebook post.
A witness told officials that before the crash they saw the SUV “traveling at a high rate of speed.”
Photos show the woman on top of the SUV that appears to have had its back hatch busted open in the crash.
When rescuers from multiple agencies arrived, they found the woman “clinging to the roof” of her SUV, which had been swept downstream several hundred feet, CHP said.
A rescue helicopter hoisted the woman from the river, according to CHP. She was taken to a nearby hospital.
Officials said they do not believe alcohol or drugs contributed to the crash.
“We hope this crash will serve as a reminder of the dangers of driving at excessive speeds,” CHP said.
Junction City is about 200 miles northwest of Sacramento.
This story was originally published February 12, 2024 at 1:42 PM with the headline "Driver clings to roof of SUV after crash into rushing river, California officials say."
