A California driver gave the internet exactly the kind of photo it loves to react to after his Ford Mustang ended up in the water off State Route 37.
According to CHP Solano, the driver was traveling westbound on SR-37 when the Mustang left the roadway and took an unexpected swim. The driver had a blood alcohol concentration of .25%, more than three times California’s legal limit.
Fortunately, no one else was injured.
The driver was safely rescued by the Vallejo Fire Department before being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Mustang Driver’s Story Did Not Match the Witness Account
CHP Solano said the driver claimed an animal caused him to swerve off the road. That explanation did not line up with what a witness told authorities. According to CHP, the witness reported seeing no animal in the roadway and said the driver appeared to be asleep after the Mustang came to rest in the water.
At a reported .25% BAC, CHP said a driver is severely impaired and can pose a serious danger to themselves and others.
The Ladder Rescue Became the Visual Hook
The crash itself was unusual, but the rescue photos are what made the post take off online. Images shared by CHP Solano show the red Mustang sitting in shallow water at night. In one photo, a ladder is stretched from the bank to the car, giving the driver a way to climb back to dry land.
It is not every day that a Mustang driver has to be rescued from a waterway by crawling across a ladder. That visual alone explains why the post quickly drew comments. One commenter asked, “Was climbing over the ladder part of his sobriety test???” Another wrote, “You can’t park there!” Several others made the same joke, while others focused on the Mustang itself.
The Mustang Jokes Were Immediate
We’re generally pretty brand-agnostic around here and won’t pass up an opportunity to dunk on any driver making a bad decision.
That said, there are a handful of vehicles that have developed internet reputations over the years, and Mustangs are definitely on that list. Fair or not, readers immediately picked up on the fact that this particular mishap involved Ford’s pony car.
Some commenters joked that it was simply “Mustang activities,” while another wrote, “Of course it was a Mustang.” One person dubbed the car a “Rustang,” while another asked whether insurance covers hitting a duck in the water.
The comments started rolling in almost immediately, and many focused just as much on the Mustang as they did the alleged DUI. The combination of a bright red convertible sitting in a pond and a ladder rescue was apparently too much for the internet to resist.
The jokes were predictable, but the situation could have been far worse. CHP said no one else was injured, and the driver was safely removed from the water. The Mustang may not have been as lucky.
CHP Used the Crash as a Reminder About Impaired Driving
CHP Solano said alcohol impairs judgment, reaction time, and decision-making. The agency encouraged drivers to make a plan before drinking, including using a rideshare, calling a taxi, or designating a sober driver.
Authorities have not released the driver’s identity, and CHP’s social media post did not specify what charges the driver may ultimately face. What the agency did make clear was that the driver was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after being rescued from the water.
That is the serious part behind the strange photos. A car in the water makes for an unusual viral moment, but an impaired driver leaving the roadway could have ended much differently.
In this case, the driver survived, no one else was hurt, and the internet got its “you can’t park there” moment. Still, I think most people would agree this is going to be one expensive swimming lesson.
CHP’s message was simple: drive sober and arrive alive.