SUV plunges into Lake Decatur, DPD officers help driver to shore

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Two Decatur police officers helped a man get out of Lake Decatur after his vehicle plunged into the water near South Shores on Wednesday morning.

Decatur Police Department Chief Brad Allen told WAND News the driver was north on U.S. 51 near South Side Drive around 8 a.m. when the SUV went into the lake. Allen did not have additional information about how the SUV ended up in the lake.

Allen said the driver was out of the vehicle by the time officers arrived. But two DPD officers went into the lake with a flotation device to help the driver get out of the shallow water.

The driver was taken to the hospital for evaluation but did not have any serious injuries, according to police.

The area is called Fisherman's Wharf, an area popular for shoreline fishing.

Around noon, the Decatur Fire Department and several divers were pulling the vehicle from the water with a tow strap and winch. The SUV ended up about one hundred feet from shore.

This is a developing story.

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