The woman who drove into the Animas River and was later arrested on suspicion of drunken driving has been identified as Amber Box, 30, of Ignacio.

Around 2 a.m. Sunday, Durango police got a report of a Toyota pickup in the middle of the Animas River off U.S. Highway 550/160, north of Santa Rita Park, said Cpl. Brian Heaton.

Box was supposedly driving southbound on U.S. Highway 550/160 between the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad lot and the wastewater-treatment plant when her vehicle went off right side of the road where the river bends.

“It (the truck) was in the middle of the Animas,” Heaton said Sunday. “Probably halfway submerged. It probably took some creative tow truck work.”

Lt. Ray Shupe said it took crews from Durango Fire Protection District and BoDean’s Towing about 3½ to four hours to extract the car from the Animas, which was running about 900 cubic feet per second.

Ronda Villasenor, a general manager at BoDean’s, said it wasn’t the first time the company was tasked with recovering a vehicle from the Animas.

“We have 50 ton rotators, which are amazing,” Villasenor said. “We use them to recover off Red Mountain Pass, stuff like that. This one was pretty unique, only because how she got down there and what she went over to get there.”

Durango Police said Box was not seriously injured and was found nearby with her clothes drenched. Investigators later found probable cause to arrest the Ignacio woman on suspicion of drunken driving.

Box’s bond was set at $750.

jromeo@durangoherald.com