Early yesterday morning, Richland County authorities responded to a call of a vehicle driving into the Red River.

The accident occurred 3 miles north of Wahpeton, on 75th Street Southeast.

According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, at around 4am yesterday, 20 year-old Steven Ruch was driving a 2008 Chevy Impala down a gravel road, when he realized the road came to a dead end, he was unable to stop, and the vehicle went off the road, down an embankment, and into the Red River.

Ruch was able to escape the vehicle by rolling down the window, and swimming to shore. He was not injured in the crash.

The Richland-Wahpeton Dive Team searched for the car, but could not find it.