Searchers locate body of driver whose car plunged into river south of Sacramento
Searchers on Thursday located the body of a driver whose car plunged off a Delta road and into the Sacramento River near Walnut Grove.
Search and dive teams on Wednesday found the BMW sedan that drove off of River Road on Monday evening, said California Highway Patrol officials. The car went off River Road near Twin Cities Road about 5:45 p.m., CHP officials said.
Recovery teams delayed retrieving the sunken sedan after considering safety at the scene, water conditions and incoming weather, CHP officials said.
“We want to be able to recover the vehicle safely and successfully and not put anyone else in harm’s way,” Officer Mark Leavitt, a spokesman for the CHP’s South Sacramento office, said Thursday morning.
Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and Walnut Grove Fire District personnel searched that first night from the air and aboard boats equipped with sonar and powerful magnets to detect the submerged vehicle but were unsuccessful.
Just after noon on Thursday, Leavitt said personnel found the male motorist in the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
The identity of the driver is expected to be released by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office once relatives are notified of the death.
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 8:40 AM.
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