Firefighters rescue woman, dog from crash off bridge near Santa Rosa

SANTA ROSA, Calif. -- Firefighters on Friday helped rescue a woman and her dog from a vehicle that had crashed off a bridge and into a waterway near Santa Rosa.

The Santa Rosa Fire Department responded Friday at 9:14 p.m. to 3250 Guerneville Road on a report of a vehicle that had driven off a bridge and into a waterway.

The initial report indicated that a person was trapped inside the vehicle.

Firefighters located a car that had driven off a bridge on private property and into a tributary of the Laguna de Santa Rosa.

The vehicle had fallen about 10 feet and was in a near vertical position.

A woman and a dog were trapped inside the partially submerged passenger compartment of the vehicle, firefighters said.

Firefighters used chains and cable to stabilize and secure the rear of the car to the bridge.

The woman requested firefighters remove the uninjured dog from the car first, so the dog was passed along to a friend.

Firefighters then helped the woman exit the vehicle and make it to safety.

She was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not considered life threatening.