ALTADENA >> An 85-year-old Altadena man escaped serious injury or worse Saturday after accidentally driving his car into a backyard swimming pool, authorities said.
The man was pulling into his garage just before noon in the 2700 block of Scripps Place when the crash occurred, Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Jeff Sims said.
The driver told rescuers his footwear was to blame, as his flip-flops had become tangled with the pedals, causing him to lose control of the car, the captain said.
The car went through a rear garage door and into a backyard swimming pool, ending up fully submerged Sims said.
“The gentleman that was in the vehicle was able to get himself out of there,” he said.
Paramedics examined him and found no significant injuries, and the driver declined to be taken to a hospital, Sims said.
Sims said the driver was fortunate to have avoided more serious injury, and that he was able to safely get out of the submerged car.
“It could have been worse,” he said.