Woman Taken to Hospital After Car Enters River

A 20-year-old Joliet woman was taken to Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center Sunday after crashing her car into the DuPage River off Shepley Road in Channahon.

The woman's identity has not been released.

Larry and Sharon Perinar, who live across the street on Shepley Road, said they heard tires squealing and trees breaking as the car entered the river, but did not witness the accident.

As Sharon Perinar flagged down a passing car to call 911, the woman had already gotten out of her car and was swimming toward the bank. The passerby pulled her out.

This is not the first accident on this stretch of Shepley Road.

"The windy road, people aren't aware of it," Larry Perinar said.

Since the driver said she was the only person in the vehicle, police chose to leave the car in the river until the water subsided.

"We're gonna leave it in there for now, until the water goes down," Channahon Police Sgt. Jon Jackubowski said.

Because of recent rains, the river is probably about 7 feet deep.