Vehicle Drives Off Wharf, Occupants and Dog Swim to Safety

Two people and a dog were in a vehicle that drove off the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf just before 10:30 a.m. Monday.

Everyone survived, according to emergency radio traffic.

The occupants of the vehicle freed themselves and swam to safety. They were pulled onto a platform on the Boardwalk side of the wharf. The dog swam to Main Beach and was found on the shore near the volleyball courts, according to emergency radio traffic.

The vehicle submerged quickly in about 12 feet of water, authorities said.

Santa Cruz police and firefighters were with the vehicle occupants to make sure they were OK and find out what happened.

KSBW posted this photo of the scene.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel reported that a 16-year-old boy was driving the Toyota 4Runner and his father was the passenger. The boy told police the accelerator stuck, causing the SUV to plow through a wooden railing and fall into the ocean.

Wharf rescues are more common than you may think. In September, a woman was rescued after she jumped off the wharf.

People have driven off the wharf intentionally in the past. A few years ago, an elderly driver trying to pull out of a parking spot hit the gas while the car was still in drive—not reverse—and the vehicle plummeted off the wharf.