A 71-year-old man died after his car was swept away by rushing water as he tried to drive over a flooded bridge in Sutter County, authorities said. <\/p>\n
The incident highlights the danger of driving during powerful storms like the atmospheric river<\/a> pounding California this weekend, and serves as a reminder to avoid flooded roadways, according to the California Highway Patrol. <\/p>\n The driver, whom authorities have not yet publicly identified, arrived at Fifield Road west of Pleasant Grove Road around 2:30 p.m. Friday to meet a delivery driver. According to the California Highway Patrol, the man stopped at a flooded bridge over Pleasant Grove Creek, where water levels had risen 3 feet, according to CBS News<\/a>.<\/p>\n The man, who was in a Mazda CX-5, tried to cross the bridge despite flood warning signs, and was swept off the road into the overflowing creek, KCRA 3 News<\/a> reported. <\/p>\n The delivery driver called 911, but by the time authorities arrived, the vehicle was fully submerged.<\/p>\n A rescue crew from the Pleasant Grove Fire Department reached the vehicle and pulled the driver out through the sunroof. He was unresponsive, however, and later declared dead around 4 p.m. Friday, according to the CHP.<\/p>\n