CHICAGO — A man was hospitalized in critical condition Friday after he allegedly backed up his SUV from Lake Shore Drive into Lake Michigan, officials said.
The accident happened at about 3 p.m., Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said. The man managed to travel between 175 to 200 feet from the curb of the Lake Shore Drive into the water, Langford said.
Officials said for an unknown reason, the man backed his SUV from Lake Shore Drive, jumped the curb and drove over a grassy area, Langford said.
After continuing to drive in reverse, the man continued over grass, crashed through a wooden snow fence, crossed over a second bike path and then plunged into the lake, Langford said.
The man landed about 20 feet out from the edge of the water and the vehicle was between 12 and 15 feet below the surface, Langford said.
It took dive crews about 15 minutes to find the man in the water after he managed to get out of the SUV, Langford said.
The man was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition, Langford said. The SUV remained in the water until it was later fished out at about 5:30 p.m.
Earlier, a Chicago Park District vehicle slid off an icy bike path near Oak Street beach and plunged into Lake Michigan Friday morning as workers were removing graffiti, officials said.
No one was injured in that accident.