(UPDATED) Car in the River Closes Benbow Drive

UPDATE, 12:28 p.m.: A California Highway Patrol dispatcher tells KHUM’s Bayley Brown that the road should be open within the next five minutes. Rescue personnel are still searching for possible victims — they have a helicopter and a boat en route.

###

UPDATE, 10:45 a.m.: The vehicle was unoccupied.

###

Southern Humboldt emergency personnel are attempting to get down to a vehicle submerged in the South Fork of the Eel off Benbow Drive. It is not yet certain whether anyone is injured.

CHP dispatch, below, notes that the car — a four-wheel drive sedan — is about 100 feet off the road. Several tow companies have declined the call, saying that they would be unable to handle the job of getting the car out of the river.

The Humboldt County Department of Public Works is en route to shut down Benbow Drive. Scanner traffic indicates that they’ll be responding to the scene, which is about one mile south of the golf course. 

We’ll update when we know more. Follow updates from CHP dispatch below.

8:55 a.m.
(UPDATED) Car in the River Closes Benbow Drive
UPDATES
37
8:59 a.m.
[7] 1039 CF
8:59 a.m.
Unit Assigned
9:03 a.m.
Unit Assigned
9:03 a.m.
Unit Enroute
9:05 a.m.
Unit Cleared
9:05 a.m.
Unit Assigned
9:05 a.m.
Unit Enroute
9:11 a.m.
Unit At Scene
9:14 a.m.
Unit At Scene
9:15 a.m.
[11] REQ 1185 4D SEDAN SUBMERGEE 100FT DOWN
9:17 a.m.
[12] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 REDWOOD TOWING 707-923-3440 / PASSING - NO DRVR TO HANDLE THIS TYPE OF RECOVERY
9:19 a.m.
[13] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 DON'S TOW 707-923-3961 / NO TRUCKS AVAILABLE - BOTH ARE 10-6
9:21 a.m.
[14] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 BROWN'S TOWING 707-923-3383 / HE WILL RESP TO EVALUATE
9:23 a.m.
[15] [Notification] [CHP]-PER CF 271 CLOSED DUE TO FIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE ROAD
9:29 a.m.
[17] 1039 CT/ADV'D OF LINE #15
9:37 a.m.
[18] 105-S4 CNTY RDS WITH SIGNS TO SHUT OFF BENBOW RD
9:38 a.m.
[19] 1039 CO RDS
9:42 a.m.
[20] CORDS ETA 15 MINS
9:50 a.m.
[21] A105-030 1185 97
10:25 a.m.
[23] 105-S4 FG SHEEN IN WATER FROM VEH
10:29 a.m.
[24] 1039 FandG / THEY ARE AWARE/UNITS AT SCENE
10:43 a.m.
[28] 105-22 ENRT ADDRESS CHECK, ETA 45MINS
10:44 a.m.
[29] A105-030 VEH 1124
10:46 a.m.
[30] 1039 HSO / WILL CALL BACK AND ADVS
11:11 a.m.
[33] 1039 AIR OPS/CHK'G
11:17 a.m.
[34] DEP REYNOLDS OF HSO ENRT W/BOAT - ETA 1-3/4 TO 2 HOURS
11:33 a.m.
Unit Assigned
11:33 a.m.
Unit At Scene
11:36 a.m.
Unit Cleared
12:04 p.m.
Unit Cleared
12:41 p.m.
[41] VEH HAS 1 PLT
12:42 p.m.
[42] 30 ADVISED RDWY IS OPEN
1:08 p.m.
Unit At Scene
1:08 p.m.
Unit Assigned
1:41 p.m.
[49] 1022 LN 48, WRONG LOG
1:44 p.m.
Unit Cleared
1:45 p.m.
Unit Cleared

See: Common CHP Codes and Shorthand

© 2026 Lost Coast Communications Contact: news@lostcoastoutpost.com.