The silver Lexus plunged into a creek in a hidden location under Five Canyons Parkway where it passes under Interstate 580, said Hayward fire Capt. Thor Poulsen.
Paramedic crews arriving on the scene were able to bring the 85-year-old driver up from the creek bed using a backboard, and he was taken to Eden Medical Center, Poulsen said.
It appears the driver, who lives on the 4500 block of Old Dublin Road, drives his car every morning to pick up his newspaper at the top of a hill, Poulsen said.
This morning, while driving back down the hill, he apparently missed his driveway and rolled down the hill into the creek bed, Poulsen said.
His wife reported him missing when he didn't return, and the California Highway Patrol were at the home taking a missing persons report when word of the crash came in around 11:15 a.m. At that time, the man had been stuck in the creek bed awaiting rescue for around four hours, Poulsen said.
The car suffered damage to its front and rear. The extent of the man's injuries remain unknown, he said.
Traffic on major roads in the area remains unaffected by the crash, Poulsen said.
