Search for car that plunged into river south of Sacramento continues as hopes fade

The search continued Tuesday morning for a car that plunged off of River Road on Monday evening in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta south of Sacramento.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office searched by air while deputies and Walnut Grove Fire District marine units in the water used powerful magnets to aid in their effort to find the submerged BMW sedan, California Highway Patrol officials said. CHP officers were called about 5:45 p.m. Monday to River Road near Twin Cities Road on reports that a BMW sedan left the road and went into the water.

Searchers tried again to locate the car using sonar and video imaging software but were unsuccessful, ultimately calling off their search just before 9:45 p.m., CHP officials said.

Search teams returned to the river around 8:30 a.m. with dive teams at the ready to recover the driver.

Darrell Smith

The Sacramento Bee

916-321-1040

Darrell Smith is a local reporter for The Sacramento Bee. He joined The Bee in 2006 and previously worked at newspapers in Palm Springs, Colorado Springs and Marysville. Smith was born and raised at Beale Air Force Base and lives in Elk Grove.