Not too far south of San Jose in California one 50-year-old resident drove off of a cliff and straight into the Pacific Ocean. Police believe that alcohol played a major role in the accident and reported that the man suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries. The truck is probably a goner though.
California Highway Patrol Santa Cruz posted photos of the incident on its Twitter account Sunday morning. It said that the man behind the wheel drove off of the cliff after leaving the appropriately-named East Cliff Drive in the early hours of the day. After rescuing the man, he was arrested for DUI.
Photos of the scene show the vehicle in question, a Chevrolet Silverado with branding from Santa Clara-based De Bella Mechanical Inc. on the side. Through the series of photos, we see where the pickup sat idle in the water, and then as a heavy-duty tow truck fished it out.
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A quick look at a map of the area shows how easy it could be for an ill-equipped driver to accidentally go off the road and quickly off of the cliff. At the section of the road where the incident occurred, there’s a fairly significant bend after a long straight section.
A drunk or otherwise incapacitated driver wouldn’t have much physical space to make a correction if they made an initial mistake. Police offered good advice to avoid drinking and driving: “Please call a sober friend, a ride share service, or simply stay home when drinking,” it said.
Regardless of what factor or factors played a role in this particular accident, we’re just happy to hear that nobody lost their life. Had the water been deeper there’s no telling how things would’ve gone. Of course, in the battle between cliffs and cars, cliffs have yet to lose.