Inattentive driving led to accident

SANDPOINT — A car accident along Colburn Culver Road Wednesday night left a few people wet but otherwise uninjured.

According to Sgt. James Cotter of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, inattentive driving was to blame for an accident that sent a vehicle rolling into the water near the Pack River. The car’s occupants, an unnamed adult and toddler, escaped unharmed after bystanders mobilized to free them.

Cotter said the accident occurred about 7 p.m. when the driver was traveling along Colburn Culver Road near Northside Elementary and the Pack River Bridge.

“This all happened about 300 yards west of where people usually go to swim,” Cotter said.

The driver failed to pay full attention and ending up veering off the road, according to Cotter. The vehicle rolled down into the shallow backwaters of the region, landing on its side and resting in about eight inches of water.

Bystanders and fellow drivers stopped what they were doing and rushed to help the individuals in the car. Climbing on top of the vehicle, they managed to open the door and pull the driver and toddler out. No one was hurt in the incident — both car occupants walked away without even a bruise, according to Cotter.

Even the car itself escaped with relatively minor damage. Cotter estimates it sustained about $2,000 in body damage during its roll into the water. The real problem was getting it out of the water, but a tow truck managed the job later without too much trouble.

Altogether, it was an incident that could have been a lot worse, Cotter said. The real trick is making sure other drivers avoid finding themselves in a similar situation.

“People just need to pay attention to what they’re doing,” Cotter said.