SUV crashes, dangles from Florida interstate

A woman is rescued from her SUV in Sanford, Florida.

SANFORD, Florida (CNN) -- An SUV that ran off an Interstate 4 overpass dangled precariously off the bridge Wednesday, prompting a delicate operation to rescue the woman inside and creating an eye-popping scene for passers-by.

Had it not been for a wrecker truck that happened to be nearby at the time of the accident, the car might have plunged onto a state highway below, said Battalion Chief Marty Johnson of the Sanford Fire Department.

The driver of the wrecker quickly attached a cable to the green SUV, keeping it sideways in the air above the moving traffic below, Johnson said.

CNN NewsPass VIDEO A woman in Sanford, Florida is rescued while her SUV dangles from the side of the highway (July 10) Play video

Members of the fire department used a cherry picker to get above the vehicle, and carefully pulled the driver out. She was seen crying and covering her face after the accident.

Opposing traffic on a separate bridge slowed to catch a glimpse of the strange sight.

Johnson said the cause of the accident is not yet known. It happened in northwest Sanford, in central Florida north of Orlando.