LILBURN, Ga. (AP) - A driver whose car ran off the road and fell into a suburban Atlanta creek was found dead inside their vehicle Monday afternoon, Gwinnett County fire officials said.
A driver veered from a road in Lilburn and the vehicle fell into the Jackson Creek Monday afternoon, Gwinnett County fire Lt. Colin Rhoden said in a statement.
Details on what may have caused the driver to swerve from the road weren’t immediately available, and the driver’s identity hasn’t been released. Authorities have said recent heavy rain created hazardous conditions in the creek, and that the water was moving swiftly downstream from the area where the car fell in.
Firefighters and a swift water rescue team were called to the scene and authorities used an inflatable river boat to execute the search, Rhoden said.
“They were further downstream in the bend of the river where there’s a lot of debris, trees, and what we call strainers,” Rhoden told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Local media outlets reported that several witnesses saw the car fall into the water and quickly go under.
“It’s a helpless feeling,” George Ruiz told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “All you can see is the car going down and starting to go under and there’s not a whole lot you can do.” Ruiz said he tried getting his truck to a spot where he could help the driver, but got stuck in a muddy area.
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Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, https://www.ajc.com
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