Dec. 20--A two-county search of the storm channel system was called off Saturday night after rescuers concluded that the missing driver of a car that crashed on a bridge did not fall into the river.
La Palma police Chief Eric Nunez said the car lost control and crashed into a guardrail, sending the guardrail into Fullerton Creek.
When rescuers arrived, the driver's window was open and the vehicle, which came to a stop on its roof, was empty, Nunez said.
Initial reports from 911 callers said the car had plunged into the channel after a collision, setting off a major rescue effort, said Steve Concialdi, spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority.
Concialdi said swift water running in the channel after a sudden storm could have carried a person away.
The authority dispatched 30 firefighters and four swift water rescue units to conduct an immediate search.
The authority also requested help from the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Long Beach Fire Department, Concialdi said.
An off-duty firefighter who witnessed the crash, at Walker Drive north of the 91 Freeway, called 911 about 6:50 p.m., Concialdi said.
Nunez said the registered owner of the car has been identified but has not yet been found.
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