Driver ejected in crash leaps into river to avoid oncoming car, Florida officials say

A driver who was thrown from a vehicle after a crash jumped into a river to avoid being struck by oncoming traffic, according to a Florida fire rescue team.

The driver was involved in a three-vehicle crash on an Interstate 75 overpass on the night of Aug. 25, according to a statement posted on the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Facebook page.

The driver’s vehicle flipped, ejecting him onto the road.

“The individual then leaped over the barrier and into the river to avoid being struck by another vehicle,” the post says.

He landed in a deep part of the river and swam to the bank to wait for help.

Firefighters on jet skis pulled him from the water and brought him to an ambulance and he was transported to a local trauma center, according to the post. He was in stable condition.

Firefighters brought one other person involved in the crash to the hospital.

Hillsborough County is about 270 miles northwest of Miami.

This story was originally published August 26, 2022 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Driver ejected in crash leaps into river to avoid oncoming car, Florida officials say."