A driver reportedly hit the gas instead of the brake on Stearns Wharf Friday afternoon, propelling his rented Volkswagen Passat off the east-side of the wharf and into the sea. Though the airbag burst open, causing minor cuts and bruises, the man escaped the car, swam to a ladder, and climbed back up to the wharf, according to city firefighters.
Numerous Harbor Patrol, police, fire, and waterfront vehicles and personnel responded to the accident, which occurred close to 2 p.m. The vehicle ran over a curb barrier, but the wharf was not damaged.
Correction: This story has been corrected to reflect that it was a VW Passat that fell into the water, not a Jetta.