A man fell into the Chicago River following a traffic crash in the South Loop Wednesday night, leaving him seriously injured.
About 8:15 p.m., the man driving a Ford Mustang convertible lost control in the westbound lanes of Congress east of Canal and struck a Lexus SUV, turning it onto its side, according to Illinois State Police.
After the crash, the woman driving the SUV was treated at the scene for minor injuries. The man was leaning on a guardrail of the Congress Parkway Bridge when he lost his balance and fell 40 feet into the Chicago River, state police said.
He was in the water for about 15 minutes before fire crews pulled him from the water and took him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in serious-to-critical condition, according to Fire Media Affairs and state police. His injuries weren’t thought to be life-threatening.
He was expected to be cited for failure to reduce speed, police said.