Teen Crashes Car Into Payette River, Survives

BOISE (KTVB) -- A teenage girl is lucky to be alive after crashing her car off State Highway 52 Sunday night and landing upside down in the Payette River.

Idaho State Police say around 6 p.m. Sunday, the 17-year-old from Sweet was westbound in a 2005 Chevy Malibu near the Gem and Boise County line when she drove too close to the edge of the highway. The front tire of the car went onto the shoulder of the road. The driver then overcorrected, lost control and the car veered across the highway and down a 42-foot embankment.

The car struck some boulders, overturned, the airbags deployed and windows busted. The car came to rest upside down in the Payette River.

The girl unbuckled her seatbelt and was able to safely exit the car through the passenger side window and swam to shore. She then climbed up the embankment. She was not injured and flagged down a passing motorists after four vehicles had passed by her.

Idaho State Police were assisted by the Gem County Sheriff's Office, Gem County EMS and Gem County Auto and their dive team that pulled the car from the river.

The crash is under investigation.