Search continues for man who disappeared after helping mom, daughter from watery crash in San Joaquin County
TRACY — Authorities were attempting to locate a person who helped a mom and daughter to safety after the vehicle they were in crashed into a body of water in San Joaquin County on Tuesday.
At around 1:30 p.m., a person saw a mother and her 5-year-old daughter standing on top of an SUV that was submerged in water in Tracy, the California Highway Patrol said.
One of two good Samaritans first helped the child to shore safely. Then the second person went in to help the mother, but the mother had already gone underwater and could not be found.
A short time later, the mother had washed up on shore, but that second witness's whereabouts remain unknown.
Crews were out searching the water for several hours Tuesday but eventually suspended the search when it got too dark out. Search efforts would resume once first light hits Wednesday.
Investigators said the mother and daughter crashed into the water in an incident that only involved their vehicle. The pair was traveling along Airport Way when the vehicle veered off the road, struck a tree and went into the water near the Kasson Road intersection.
"I've seen multiple accidents, trucks, cars but nothing like this," said Anthony Amaral, another witness.
The child was not injured, but the mother was hospitalized in critical condition.
Airport Way was closed in both directions in the area while the search for the other person continued and crews attempted to pull the vehicle from the water.