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Palm Beach Woman Survives Plunge Into Muck

PAHOKEE, Fla. (CBSMiami) – A worker at a Target in Palm Beach County is lucky to be alive after she fell asleep while driving home from work and ended up with her submersed in canal.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department, the unidentified woman fell asleep and drove her car into a muck filled canal.

The driver called 911 and told a dispatcher that her car was slowly sinking into the muck just before 8 a.m. Friday. She told 911 operators she was unable to get out of the vehicle.

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Deputy Frank Mayo was the first on the scene and said the car was submerged in the muck when he arrived. He jumped into the muck and pulled the driver to safety.

The woman was released from the hospital and the deputy was not injured.

The accident comes after Target was the focus of an employee-based petition that asked the retailer to delay opening its stores. Target opened stores at midnight Friday for Black Friday sales.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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