Driver exiting New Jersey car wash accidentally hits gas, ends up in waterway

HACKENSACK, New Jersey -- A driver exiting a car wash in New Jersey accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake and careened into a nearby waterway Tuesday.

It happened in Hackensack and involved a 2002 Mercedes SUV, and the incident was captured on video.

The vehicle plunged down an embankment and into the muddy shores of the Hackensack River.

The Hackensack Fire Department said the 64-year-old female driver of the car and her daughter were able to make it out of the vehicle and get back to shore, with the help of a good Samaritan who jumped into the river.

"Unfortunately, there's no rules that say there has to be a guardrail there," Hackensack Fire Captain Justin Derevyanik said. "That's up to the property owner. But right now, we're lucky that everybody got out. We were there to respond. We got on scene very quickly, and everybody worked together as a good team. We had a happy outcome today."

Both victims were hospitalized with minor injuries.

Hackensack police are conducting an investigation.