Driver rescued after car plunges 30 feet down cliff in Santa Cruz Mountains

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- The CHP and Santa Clara County Firefighters say a man is lucky to be alive after his car went down a cliff in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The CHP responded to the call on Locust Drive and Aldercroft Heights Road at about 9:10 p.m. Wednesday. The nose of the Ford Mustang landed on a tree and was wedged into it.

Firefighters say this was a very technical rescue. They had to strap the car to the tree before they were able to remove the driver using the Jaws of Life. They pulled him all the way up the cliff in a basket. He had only moderate injuries.

"In essence that tree is the only thing that saved his life. Had that tree not been there that vehicle would've been so far down that embankment that it would've been difficult to find, if not impossible," said CHP Sgt. Daniel Hill.

The road was closed for a few hours for the rescue operation.

The CHP says they're investigating the driver for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.