HIT AND RUN DRIVER BLAMED FOR “GEYSER” IN EL CAJON

By Miriam Raftery

June 13, 2010 (El Cajon ) – A 50 to 75-foot-high geyser of water spewed skyward in El Cajon on Friday morning, visible from as far away as Interstate 8. The gusher resulted from a hit-and-run driver whose truck backed into a fire hydrant on Taft Street, just south of East Main Street.

Heartland Fire and Rescue workers from the City of El Cajon arrived on scene. With the assistance of work crews from the Helix Water District, they were successful in shutting off the water to the broken hydrant. There were no injuries involved, but a vehicle parked nearby was flooded when the water raining down broke the rear window allowing water into the car.

Several witnesses talked with El Cajon Police Officers at the scene giving, a description of the vehicle that backed into the hydrant. Police are still investigating the incident.