Rescuers save San Bernardino County woman swept away in her truck by rain-swollen creek

A woman who was swept away in her pickup while crossing a rain-swollen creek in the San Bernardino National Forest was rescued Monday night after a harrowing, four-hour recovery effort, officials said.

The 29-year-old woman was crossing Lytle Creek north of San Bernardino shortly before 5 p.m. in her Ford pickup when the high water washed away the road and started carrying the vehicle downstream. As water filled her cab up to the dashboard, the woman used her cellphone to call for help, officials said.

"She did the right thing. She stayed in her cab and dialed 911," said Tracey Martinez, spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department. "It was pretty scary."

The powerful currents pushed the truck down the creek for about a quarter of a mile until it lodged on a small island.

Eventually, a swift-water rescue squad found the woman. A team member then fired a harpoon-like line gun, which propelled a coiled line to the island. A rescuer was then able to traverse the rope across the swollen creek, carrying a helmet and life vest for the woman.

Finally, nearly four hours after the ordeal began, the woman was pulled to safety, Martinez said. She was taken to San Antonio Community Hospital in Upland, where she was listed in good condition.

"She's very lucky she had cellphone coverage in that area," Martinez said. "She is a very fortunate woman."

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Comments

[rrw]

We need the facts: who was the cell phone carrier?

[Get Planted]

"She did the right thing. She stayed in her cab and dialed 911" ???

No no no no no!!

She did the wrong thing. She did a very stupid and costly thing. She drove her truck into an unsafe situation that threatened her and her rescuers' lives and cost taxpayers a lot of money for her rescue.

Looking at it another way, she went boating in dangerous waters without a legally-mandated life jacket.

Only in Southern California are there so many boneheads that for every obvious life-threatening hazard there always seems to be at least one person who throws them self into it.

[Wayne]

Yes, the right thing calling for help but she should never driven across the creek in the first place. Putting dozens of rescue workers at risk for what ever she felt she needed to do in that situation is foolish.

[Fernando]

AT&T? WHAT KIND OF PHONE?

[Rebecca Davis]

She lives in Lytle Creek. She was driving home from work, like she does every day of the week. I'm sure she did not know the road was washed out. It happened very quickly. She is definitely not a bonehead. She is a front/back office assistant in a pediatric office where she helps sick children on a daily basis. I am thankful to the rescuers for saving my niece's life. THANK YOU rescuers for being there.

Rebecca Davis
San Gabriel CA

[barbara]

wow. just shows how important cell phones are these days, i mean can anyone imagine being without a cell phone these days????and also shows how important it is to have a good provider with excellent nationwide coverage. i am with tracfone and very happy with the reception, have not had a single dropped call yet. scary story this. hope if i ever get in an emergency situation that i will have my phone on me too