A 71-year-old man died after his car was swept away by rushing water as he tried to drive over a flooded bridge in Sutter County, authorities said.
The incident highlights the danger of driving during powerful storms like the atmospheric river pounding California this weekend, and serves as a reminder to avoid flooded roadways, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The driver, whom authorities have not yet publicly identified, arrived at Fifield Road west of Pleasant Grove Road around 2:30 p.m. Friday to meet a delivery driver. According to the California Highway Patrol, the man stopped at a flooded bridge over Pleasant Grove Creek, where water levels had risen 3 feet, according to CBS News.
The man, who was in a Mazda CX-5, tried to cross the bridge despite flood warning signs, and was swept off the road into the overflowing creek, KCRA 3 News reported.
The delivery driver called 911, but by the time authorities arrived, the vehicle was fully submerged.
A rescue crew from the Pleasant Grove Fire Department reached the vehicle and pulled the driver out through the sunroof. He was unresponsive, however, and later declared dead around 4 p.m. Friday, according to the CHP.
The CHP recommends motorists avoid standing water, adding that “if conditions worsen, don’t risk it. Delay travel if possible, and never drive through flooded roads.”
The bridge, originally built in 2001 and expanded a few years later, has metal guardrails on its northern and southern ends, according to Sutter Community Services District.
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