Driver abandons dog in flooding car after crash into rushing Utah river, police say

A Utah search and rescue team called out to a car found upside-down in the Ogden River on Tuesday night got a surprise when they heard a dog bark inside, Weber County sheriff’s deputies wrote on Facebook.

The driver had apparently fled after crashing into the river, leaving behind a dog trapped inside the flooded vehicle, sheriff’s officials wrote.

Deputies had asked the rescue team to clear the vehicle so it could be removed, according to the Facebook post.

A dive team member descended a rock wall into the river and checked the vehicle for the dog, but couldn’t get the pup out of the overturned vehicle, deputies wrote.

The rescuer secured the dog inside the vehicle, which was then pulled out of the water, according to the post.

“The dog was not injured, just a little wet and happy to get a treat,” deputies wrote. The Facebook post did not say whether authorities have identified the driver.

This story was originally published June 13, 2019 at 10:14 AM with the headline "Driver abandons dog in flooding car after crash into rushing Utah river, police say."