High Water Levels Keep Submerged Vehicles In South Platte River
DENVER (CBS4)- Emergency crews respond almost daily to search submerged vehicles in the South Platte River that runs through the Denver metro area. Many of those cars have been in the water for weeks.
"I'm disgusted by seeing four cars in the river," said Lakewood resident Tom Ross.
The crews must respond to the calls, even if they have already searched the vehicle before.
911 Dispatch: "The fireman thinks this is a car they've already checked but we'll double check again."
Police in Denver believe at least some of the vehicles were stolen and then abandoned, They believe the others were in accidents although how they ended up in the river won't be determined until they are removed and examined.
"We know two cars in the river are stolen. The others we're not sure of how they got there. We'll look into that once they've been pulled out," said Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson.
For the past four weeks, crews with the Denver Fire Department have been searching the vehicles, making sure there are no bodies inside. The vehicles litter the river between Overland Golf Course and Elitch Gardens.
"Obviously with all the water we had, all the flooding we had, the high waterways, it was a risk to pull them out," said Jackson.
Jackson believes the fire department may try to remove the vehicles next week.
Some believe it's not soon enough, "But that's just an eyesore. That's not the way Denver should be."
