A Volkswagen SUV was pulled out of the water at Boston Harbor Marina late Monday after it rolled down the boat launch and floated a short distance away before sinking, according to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

The vehicle was removed by a salvage company just before midnight.

About 2:20 p.m. Monday, the owner of the vehicle, who was not hauling a boat at the time, wanted to try out the SUV on the boat launch, Lt. Ray Brady said Tuesday.

The man got out of the vehicle on the ramp, but forgot to put the SUV in park. As the vehicle started to roll down the boat launch, the open door knocked the man down and the SUV rolled into the water, Brady said.

The SUV, which Brady described as new, didn’t sink at first. It floated away from the boat launch and settled under the gangway at the marina.

The Sheriff’s Office dive team tried to remove the SUV but it was hung up on some old pilings, Brady said. A salvage company later stepped in and removed it.

— The Olympian