Woman Pulled from Vehicle in Ellis Lake, Marysville

A woman was rescued from Ellis Lake after her car drove into the water as a result of an accident.

What Happened?

A woman was driving down California State Highway 20 heading west in a Toyota Corolla. She was traveling alongside a truck and trailer who was also heading the same way. As the two vehicles approached the intersection of Highway 20 and Highway 70 the Corolla somehow sideswiped the truck and ricocheted off at an angle. The small sedan continued through the intersection and popped up onto the curb. She missed the many trees that line the road and plummeted into the lake.

The truck driver that was hit saw the car go into the water and quickly rushed to the woman’s aid. As he ran towards the water, a bystander who witnessed the crash while pumping gas across the street from the lake also joined in the rescue effort. The two men jumped into the water and managed to pull the driver of the Corolla out of the car. Ellis Lake Marysville depth is 1,645 feet.

Two officers from the Marysville Police Department who responded to the scene saw the two men as they surfaced with the woman in tow and both swam out and helped the two rescuers swim back to shore. Lieutenant Chris Sachs of the Marysville Police Department told reporters that the woman was alert and talking to emergency personnel after the crash and rescue. She was taken to a hospital by the local fire department.

Escape a Sinking Car

Dr. Gordon Giesbrecht, a professor at the University of Manitoba in Canada specializes in the effects of extreme environments on the human body. He also has done extensive research and testing on how to escape vehicles that are sinking in water. He came up with a system that, through his research gives you the greatest chance of survival. This system is called S-C-W-O. Each letter stands for a step in the escape process.

Seatbelt – Most people forget to undo their seatbelt and become trapped as the car fills up with water. In the panic, a seatbelt can be a tricky device to manipulate. It is important to remain as calm as you can to maintain a clear head and also use less oxygen and energy as you work to escape.
Children – Unbuckle yourself first and then help the other passengers if there are any. If you have children in the car, unbuckle the oldest first and they can help free the rest.
Window – Rather than try to open the door, open a side window. It is a lot easier to open a window and swim out than it is to push against all the water coming in trying to open the door. Most car electronics will work for up to three minutes while in water so if you have power windows it is a good idea to open them as soon as you hit the water. Opening the windows will also give you more floating time in your car than if you managed to open the door. If your window does not open as the car sinks, break it with anything hard and pointy that you have in your car. They make special window breakers for emergency situations that would be handy to have.
Out – Get out as fast as you can and swim to the surface. If you wait inside the car too long it may sink to a depth that is too deep for you to reach the top of the water. With children or babies, help them or carry them in a teddy bear hug as you swim upwards. If you become disoriented, look for the sunlight or watch the way the bubbles float and swim in the same direction to head upwards.

Marysville Personal Injury Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Marysville Personal Injury Lawyer. If you have been injured in a car accident, please call me for free, friendly advice at 530-392-9400 or 800-404-5400. I’m here to help you after a car accident, personal injury or a wrongful death.

I’ve been serving the Marysville-Yuba City community as an accident lawyer since 1982.

Look at my settlements and verdicts page on my website, autoaccident.com to see how I have helped other people in your community. My site is also full of great articles like this one with news, medical information, and tips to stay safe on the road.

Here are some other webpages by Marysville Personal Injury Lawyer, Ed Smith:

Client Reviews:

I am also listed on milliondollaradvocates.com as a lawyer who has won cases of a million dollars or more.

Sources:

http://www.theunion.com
http://www.wikihow.com/Escape-from-a-Sinking-Car
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Giesbrecht
Image Source: Mchavez – Wikimedia Commons

:tb bw [cs 840] cv

Woman Pulled from Vehicle in Ellis Lake, Marysville Depth