Search delayed for driver who crashed into creek

Attempts to a search for a vehicle that had careened into a creek in Niles Canyon late Saturday morning were derailed by bad weather and raging waters, according to law enforcement officials.

The driver, an 18-year-old woman from Tracy, is missing. Officials have not released the victim’s name.

At about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Alameda County sheriff ’s deputies responded to calls that a car had crashed into Alameda Creek along Niles Canyon Road, between Fremont and Sunol. The vehicle drove into the river after colliding with oncoming traffic just east of Palomares Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Because of dangerously high currents and inclement weather, first responders were unable to search for the vehicle, which became fully submerged in the water, police said.

Alameda County Sheriff ’s Office Sgt. Ray Kelly said the department deployed drones and helicopters, and conducted foot searches along the banks of the river, but found no signs of the driver.

“We hold out hope this person will be found, but as the hours tick by that becomes less and less likely,” Kelly said. “It would be very hard to survive in those conditions.”

The search efforts were hampered by the weekend storm. Multiple rockslides and mudslides unrelated to the accident closed Niles Canyon Road, and heavy rains caused the water level in Alameda Creek to rise dramatically, creating rapid currents, police said.

The Sheriff ’s Office is working with a state agency to reduce water flowing into the creek from nearby reservoirs, but until the water level drops, rescuers will be unable to search for the vehicle.

“You can’t put a diver in the water when you have logs and tree branches and debris coming down rapidly. It’s just too dangerous,” Kelly said. “You couldn’t pick a worse time to have to do a recovery than right now, with all of the conditions going on.”

The earliest search-andrescue divers would enter the river is Monday, Kelly said.

The Alameda County Sheriff ’s Office is leading the search-and-recovery effort with the Fremont Fire Department. The California Highway Patrol, Fremont Police Department, Alameda County Fire Department and other state, county and city agencies are assisting.