Emergency crews were called into action on Tuesday morning when a motorist spotted a vehicle upside down in the San Joaquin River near the Airport Way bridge. 

First responders including the Lathrop Manteca Fire District, the Stockton Fire Department and the San Joaquin County Fire Authority responded to the call at around 9 a.m. – sending divers from Lathrop Manteca into the water to search for anybody that may have been trapped in the vehicle. Nobody was found inside of the car, and a driver was not on scene when emergency crews arrived. 

The vehicle, which was registered out of Modesto, appeared to have gone down the embankment on the south side of the bridge and came to rest upside down in the water below – with half of the vehicle protruding from the water. The California Highway Patrol was investigating the circumstances of what led the vehicle to enter the water, but no information was available as of press time. 

The vehicle was ultimately towed out of the water and removed from the scene. 

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.