Teen Girl Rescued After Accidentally Driving SUV into DuPage River
The girl told sheriff's officers that foggy conditions and a slick spot in the road caused her to lose control of her vehicle.
A 16-year-old girl who accidentally drove her SUV into the DuPage River Thursday morning had to be rescued by a Plainfield firefighter in a cold-water suit, Deputy Fire Chief Jon Stratton said.
The Plainfield Fire Protection District received the call shortly after 6:30 a.m. and arrived to find the girl standing in the broken rear window of her Chevy Trailblazer, which was partially submerged in the river near the one-lane bridge at River and Renwick roads, Stratton said.
The firefighter, who was tethered to the shore, used a safety flotation device to rescue the teen, who was not believed to be injured but was taken to Edward Plainfield Medical Campus as a precaution, he said.
The teen told Will County Sheriff's officers that she was driving to school "when she hit a slick spot in the road and lost control," sheriff's office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer said.
Foggy conditions and a bend in the road near the bridge helped contribute to the accident, she said. The water is very shallow in that section of the river, Hoffmeyer said, and the SUV was still running when officers arrived at the scene.
Firefighters returned to the scene later to help attach a hook to the SUV so it could be pulled from the river. River Road was closed for a short period of time to accommodate the rescue, Stratton said.
In This article
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Plainfield Fire Protection District
23748 W 135th St, Plainfield, IL -
Edward Plainfield Medical Campus
24600 W. 127th St., Plainfield, IL
Mom of 2 boys
9:52 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Could it be Texting?
Karen Sorensen
9:58 am on Thursday, February 2, 2012
It looks like it was caused by the weather -- a combo of fog and slick roads, according to the sheriff's office. I just updated the story will a little more info.
Vicki Pawlowski Dallmann
12:15 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Poor kid must have been absolutely terrified! I saw the aftermath.... it happened just a few doors down from me and they were still working on getting the car pulled out when I left at 8:30. I'd bet the car sunk into the mire.
Incidentally, the Trib article blamed the accident on the tight turn in the road. From my perspective it looked like the car was well past the turn - it sat in the water just about at River Ct. At any rate... she is very fortunate the water is so shallow along that stretch of the river.
Sam S
3:27 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
We don't know anything for a FACT Vicky M. You weren't there, if you weren't in the car with her you don't know what happened. If you were a parent you would be happy she is safe and did not get hurt. And if you were also driving this morning the roads were VERY slick I myself watched people slide a few times. Don't be so fast to judge when you don't know her or what happened.
Seriously?
7:25 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Seriously? What, exactly, did Vicki say that she claimed to be a FACT?? It seems to me that Vicki was expressing sincere apathy for the girl and expressing her opinion of what happened. I am so sick of people posting on the Patch for no other reason but to demean. Opinions are just that, and cannot be wrong!
Lighten up.
Susan
4:49 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
driving too fast for conditions, and being a kid.
Analyze This
10:57 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Odds are you are right! Everybody (except me) does it and this is the potential end result.
Ram Seichert
11:56 pm on Thursday, February 2, 2012
Too much speed and inexperience is more like it. Fog doesn't cause accidents. I didn't know it's acceptable to crash into stuff when it's foggy. I thought you're supposed to maintain a safe speed to avoid leaving a roadway and plunging into a river. Are they replacing this one lane bridge? I haven't heard anything.
Dan Raddatz
4:39 am on Friday, February 3, 2012
I do believe the fact that a new bridge is on the way is a good thing. I am also very great full that the girl did not die and was able to walk away. I think we should not assume that the driver was doing anything other than driving. I want to wish her a quick recovery and I was told long time ago that "a car can be replaced a human life can not"
.
Ram Seichert
12:13 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012
"Rescued" from what appears to be two feet of water......that's exaggerated
Vicki Pawlowski Dallmann
2:11 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012
The shallow depth of the "mighty DuPage" can be deceiving. It's easy to feel a false sense of security trying to climb the bank onto shore - I've experienced this on my own riverfront property at times. The banks on this stretch of River Road are steep in most spots and the riverbed at the shoreline is so mirey (is "mirey" even a word??) that it almost sucks your feet in and it wouldn't be inconceivable, particularly for someone not expecting it, to lose balance when you sink in up to mid-calf and the mud doesn't want to let you loose. I am thankful the young lady exercised the good judgement to stay with her vehicle until rescuers arrived!
Vicky M
9:52 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012
Like I said people....FACT!!! I know for a fact!!!
Brenda Cornejo
10:39 pm on Sunday, February 19, 2012
This girl goes to Central and even though I don't know her past being acquaintances, I know she hasn't been driving for a long time, but I'm sure she knows the bend in the road (anyone who goes to the school and isn't a speed demon would instinctively slow down when approaching it). It WAS foggy, and the roads were only slightly wet, but she should have been conscious of the extra hazards and have driven more carefully.
A lot of PHS students found out who she was and were quick to poke fun at her on Facebook, but I'm glad she and no one else was harmed in this incident
However, I do find it peculiar that her vehicle was WELL into the river even though the most you should be approaching that turn is at 25 mph...