Bradenton driver went airborne in crash with Manatee River boat dock, police say
A woman avoided serious injury Monday evening after losing control of her vehicle and launching into a boat dock along the Manatee River, police say.
After the driver lost control of the vehicle at the intersection of 20th Street East and Riverside Drive, it became airborne and collided with a wooden boat lift pole. The pole broke in half, and the vehicle entered the water, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
Photos of the crash scene posted by the Bradenton police show extensive damage to the boat lift and the SUV involved in the crash. Investigators say the car may have been going 60 mph before going airborne into the river.
Police responded to the crash at 6:07 p.m. after a nearby resident called 911 to report it. Upon their arrival, police found that the driver had partially crawled through the windshield of the car, according to Meredith Censullo, the public information officer with the Bradenton Police Department.
The woman driving sustained no serious injuries and was not impaired, according to the Bradenton Police Department.
It is unclear what caused the 50-year-old driver to lose control of the vehicle; however, according Censullo, it is possible that the driver suffered a medical or mental health emergency, as there were no signs that the driver attempted to hit the brakes.
The vehicle was pulled from the water around 8 p.m., and the boat was secured.
The crash is still under investigation, according to the police department.
