Driver rescued after SUV gets pulled into rushing water during Orange County storms

A man was pulled to safety after his SUV plunged into a rushing creek that was swollen amid the storms in Orange County on Thursday.

The Orange County Fire Authority responded to a portion of Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano in the area of Trabuco Creek Road and Rosenbaum Road at about 9:39 a.m.

The vehicle, with a man inside, was somehow swept into the water and became lodged against trees in the middle of the creek. The man climbed out of the SUV and hung onto trees while awaiting rescue crews.

With the aid of a helicopter crew, the OCFA was able to rescue the man from the water successfully.

“Just the location itself made it super challenging for our rescuers,” said Captain Thanh Nguyen of the OCFA.

Nguyen called all avenues of a potential rescue “dangerous.” Options included trying to reach the man via boat, but the swift-moving waters made that a challenge. Eventually, they decided to make a “pinpoint drop” from a helicopter to ensure the crew member was being lowered into a safe spot to rescue the man.

“It’s a miracle [that the man is safe],” Nguyen said. “We’re just really glad he was able to hang onto the tree until we were able to get to him.”