La Puente woman suspected of DUI after car plummets into San Gabriel River in Azusa

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AZUSA >> Police suspect drunken driving and excessive speed after a car plummeted 100 feet over the side of San Gabriel Canyon Road in Azusa early Thursday, ending up overturned in the San Gabriel River below.
The crash was first reported about 4:05 a.m. in the 2000 block of San Gabriel Canyon Road, Azusa police Sgt. Robert Landeros said in written statement.
A 25-year-old La Puente woman was at the wheel of the 2014 Toyota Corolla when it left the roadway and fell into the river along the Mountain Cove community, he said.
“The solo driver was able to exit her vehicle as it became submerged in the water,” Landeros said. “The driver swam to a nearby embankment and yelled for help.”
A nearby resident heard the woman’s screams and called police. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department helicopter and search and rescue team joined in the effort.
Paramedics took the woman to a hospital with injuries described as moderate, according to the sergeant.
“Driving under the influence of alcohol and unsafe speed are both suspected factors in this collision,” Landeros said.
The investigation was ongoing, however the driver was expected to be booked on suspicion of drunken driving, he said.

PHOTO courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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