Woman crashes car into water, saves coffee

A woman swam to safety yesterday after her car careened off a roadway and splashed into the Oakland-Alameda Estuary, floating to rest underneath a home built on stilts above the waterway.

Authorities said the car went into the water a little after 6:00 a.m. after its driver lost control when she reached for her cell phone near the intersection of Alameda Avenue and Fruitvale.

The 22-year-old female driver, on her way to work at a nearby Brinks office, was able to knock out a window, climb out of the floating vehicle and swim to safety. Onlookers said she came ashore still cradling her coffee cup.



The woman was taken to Highland Hospital after complaining of back pain.

The high tide then carried the car through several pylons and a dock under a building built on stilts over the waterway where it lodged into what almost looked like a watery parking space.

Police and Coast Guard officials were on the scene trying to determine how to remove the car from the waters. The name of the driver has not been released.

With news video. Photo from here.