A 20-year-old woman was arrested and a teen girl is fighting for her life after a car submerged in water near the Atlantic City Boat Ramp. The incident happened in Rainier Valley, Seattle, where officers and rescue divers quickly responded to the scene on Saturday evening, according to the Seattle Police Department.
Authorities were called to the 9200 block of Seward Park Avenue South shortly before 6:00 p.m., where they found the female driver on shore, who reported her 17-year-old female passenger was still unaccounted for. In attempts to initially find the missing teen, SPD Harbor Patrol and Seattle Fire Department (SFD) divers hastily initiated to search the water. The young passenger was eventually discovered non-responsive and received life-saving efforts on the spot. Both individuals were rushed to Harborview Medical Center, with the driver in stable condition but the teenager in critical condition, according to SPD Blotter.
The area was quickly sectioned off as detectives from the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad gathered to understand the events leading up to the near-drowning. Evidence and statements suggest that the car had been parked at the boat ramp before it rolled into the water. The driver was able to escape through a window, but the passenger struggled to make it to shore following the vehicle's submersion.
Subsequent to the rescue efforts, police noted that the driver exhibited signs of impairment and was arrested on charges of vehicular assault. The investigation is ongoing as officials piece together what lead up to the tragedy. The names of the individuals involved have not been released as part of standard privacy considerations during such cases.
