NEW DETAILS: Driver dies after driving off cliff into Colorado River
UPDATE 4:43 P.M.:
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)- The man behind the wheel of the car that drove off a cliff into the Colorado River has passed away, according to California Highway Patrol.
Jesse James Espino, 39, was the driver behind the wheel, according to CHP. His family has been notified.
CHP said Espino was traveling east on Quechan Road and was approaching Quechan Drive. CHP added for unknown reasons Espino let his Toyota Scion veer off of a cliff heading southeast.
One man jumped into action as soon as he saw the car fly off the cliff.
"When your adrenaline is rushing, you just want to help the guy. let's get to the guy before anything bad really happens to him, but he was pretty banged up inside of there. we tried to help as much as we can," explained Martin Trujillo.
Trujillo works at the Yuma Territorial Prison and heard the car hit when he was welcoming guests.
He and several others worked to flip the vehicle over to make sure no one was inside.
“We felt a vague pulse. Everybody got together there was about 8 to 10 of us. We flipped the car over and that's when another gentleman busted out the window," explained Trujillo.
First responders jumped in after the car was flipped and the Espino was removed. Unfortunately, Espino died as a result of the incident.
The crash is still under investigation.
UPDATE
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) says a man was taken to the hospital with major injuries Monday morning after driving off the cliff into the Colorado River.
CHP confirms speed was a factor in the accident.
Authorities have yet to ID the driver and the vehicle but say the car has Arizona license plates.
ORIGINAL STORY
Eyewitnesses report a vehicle drove off the bridge and landed in the Colorado River Monday morning.
According to reports, first responders are at the scene.
The Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) has not released whether anyone was injured or the cause of the crash.
Reports say a tow truck is now at the scene retrieving the vehicle out of the water.
YCSO will update KYMA and 13 On Your Side with more information as it becomes available.
Use caution and avoid the area.
This is a developing story, stay with KYMA for the latest updates.
