Accused drunk driver 'sunk' car into Big Creek Reservoir, swims to shore

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- A Corvallis woman, who had been reported overdue, was arrested after she drove her car into the upper fishing hole at Big Creek Reservoir while allegedly drunk, Newport police said.

Tammy Altishin, 46, was planning to meet with a family member at the Sam Case Elementary School Monday evening, but when she never showed Newport police were called in to help find her. Officers were first alerted that Altishin was overdue around 7:30 p.m. and were told she could possibly be driving while intoxicated.

Nearly four hours later, while performing a routine area check of the Big Creek Reservoir, officers found a woman, later confirmed to be Altishin, walking in the roadway. Police said Altishin, who was completely wet and appeared to be impaired, told officers she had "sunk her vehicle in a pond" after taking a wrong turn and mistakenly backing her car completely into the water -- leaving her to swim to the shore.

The officers brought Altishin to the Lincoln County Jail where a DUII investigation was conducted and she was subsequently arrested.

After an unsuccessful search for the vehicle the night of the crash, the Sheriff's Office Marine Unit and a Forestry Deputy discovered the vehicle in a second reservoir submerged in 11 feet of water and about 120 feet away from the shore on Wednesday. With the help of a diver, the car was pulled from the reservoir and towed away.