It's not a case of overflow parking.
The car in the American River near Ancil Hoffman Park was stolen and driven into the river. Once in the water, park rangers think it was swept downstream about a mile by abnormally high summer river flows.
Sacramento County Park Ranger John Havicon said the car was stolen from an owner in Gold River. The vehicle was then apparently driven into the river at the Rossmoor Bar boat ramp.
It then floated downstream when the river was roaring to a point where Rancho Cordova is on one side of the river and Ancil Hoffman park on the other. Havicon said the car was spotted in the river around July 1.
Divers from Sacramento's Drowning Accident Rescue Team could not safely enter the water to get a look inside the car on first try. They later returned, and were able to determine there was nobody inside and provided enough information to determine it was stolen.
Rangers hope to get divers back out when the river flow is expected to lessen on Wednesday.
"I'm going to see if we can get a chain hooked to it and get it out of there," said Havicon. "It's just been too dangerous for anyone to get it out of there."
PHOTO CREDIT: Joan Waters, Special to The Bee
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