A man got out of his car just before it fell into a huge sinkhole in the middle of a La Center road early Saturday.

Just before 2 a.m., 47-year-old James Sandvik of La Center was driving down Northeast Charity Road when his car got stuck on the edge of a ravine that was caused by a wash out.

Sandvik got out of the car with minor injuries just before it plunged over the edge. The car then washed more than 1000 feet away as water continued to pour through a broken pipe caused by a plugged colvert, said Sgt. Alex Schoening with the Clark County Sheriff's Office.

The hole is at the 31000 block of NE Charity road, which connects to Lockwood Creek Road and runs south to Battle Ground. Traffic is detoured three miles and the road is expected to be closed for a long time.

Authorities urge drivers to avoid the area if possible.
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