A 54-year-old man is dead after driving his vehicle into the Rock River this morning, just north of the Whitman Street Bridge.

According to Chief Deputy Coroner William Hintz, the driver was rescued by divers from the Rockford Fire Department before being transported to Swedish American Hospital. The driver, who has not been identified, died at the hospital just after 9:30 a.m.

A large tow truck was called to the scene to remove the vehicle from the water. The car was just south of the ID Pennock Family YMCA facility off North Second Street.

The car was loaded on to a flat bed truck once it was removed from the river just before 9:30 a.m.

The accident remains under investigation by the Rockford Police Department.

Car In River
Rob Carroll, Townsquare Media
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