Car misses curve near Rocky Point

Fuel and motor oil spills into Lake Chelan during extraction

Information released by Washington State Patrol; Trooper John Bryant photo

Chelan County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol reports that a 2007 Chevy Trailblazer missed a curve near Rocky Point and drove into the Lake on Friday night.

During extraction, the oil pan was sheared off resulting in seven quarts of motor oil and five gallons of fuel spilling into the lake. Chelan Fire & Rescue placed soft absorbent booms around the spill which captured most of the oil and gas. They indicated there will be a small oil sheen visible for a few days before it dissipates.

State Department of Ecology spill responders deployed sweep absorbent to help recover remaining sheen in water. They also performed shoreline reconnaissance and observed light sheen near shore at least 20 feet up lake and 50 feet down lake.

The driver of the vehicle, a 58-year-old Chelan woman, was transported to the hospital for observation but was not injured. After being released, she was placed into custody on suspicion of DUI.

This is the second vehicle in as many months to plunge into the Lake while failing to navigate that particular curve on Highway 150. Previously this summer, on July 5th, a car also went off the road into the lake. In that incident, the driver and two passengers escaped with minor injuries.