Woman Drives Car Into Lake Del Valle Creek Bed, Stuck Overnight

LIVERMORE, CA — Alameda County Fire Department crews rescued a woman whose car was submerged in a creek bed near Lake Del Valle for nearly 15 hours, according to an ACFD report.

ACFD crews responded to a call made by a nearby camper that a car was submerged on the 7000 block of Del Valle Road, near the southern end of the lake. They arrived to find a woman sitting on top of her car. Crews prepared for a water rescue by using a truck ladder, and called on the California Highway Patrol to assist.

A CHP helicopter successfully got the car out of the water, ACFD said. Crews on-scene said the woman was trying to drive on a cement bridge to the other side of the creek bed at around 7:30 p.m. Monday, and underestimated how deep the water was. The water was rising due to Monday’s rain, and was high enough to cover most of her small pickup truck.

The woman was taken to a nearby hospital, and is expected to be fine.