A driver was taken to hospital in critical condition after his Toyota 4Runner struck a bridge and plunged into the Des Plaines River in Joliet, Illinois.
Joliet police said officers were called to the Jefferson Street Bridge at about 4.29pm on Saturday, 14 November, following reports that a vehicle had entered the water.
Emergency crews found the 33-year-old man near the south-west side of the bridge. A life preserver was thrown to him before Joliet Fire Department personnel entered the river and brought him to safety.
He was taken to St Joseph Medical Center for treatment. Police said he was the only person inside the vehicle and no other victims were found.
Investigators said the man had been driving eastbound on West Jefferson Street at a high rate of speed when he lost control. Witnesses reported that the vehicle hit the bridge before entering the river.
Firefighters searched the water, located the Toyota and helped towing crews recover it.
The Jefferson Street Bridge remained closed while the Joliet Police Traffic Unit reconstructed the crash. The Illinois Department of Transportation was also inspecting the structure for possible damage, and there was no immediate indication of when it would reopen.
The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information or video of the incident has been asked to contact the Joliet Police Traffic Unit on 815-724-3010.
