Update: Vehicle Found In A Lake A Fatality, Another Rolled Off Cliff
Update at 5:25 p.m.: The CHP this evening updated how a vehicle ended up in Lake Don Pedro, killing a Modesto man.
CHP spokesperson Officer Steve Machado reports that around midnight, 64-year-old Donald Baker from Modesto drove his 2015 Kia sedan to the Fleming Meadows boat ramp area at the lake. He added, “Baker backed his vehicle down an embankment towards the water line, and for an unknown reason, the vehicle suddenly accelerated backward into the water.”
Baker called 911 for help while in the water and sent officers racing to the area along with the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Boat Enforcement unit, the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Dive Team, and the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon their arrival, the vehicle could not be seen from the shore, and an underwater robot was deployed. Machado detailed, “It located a possible object matching a vehicle, and the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Dive Team went into the water. The dive team discovered the deceased driver inside.”
This crash remains under investigation, and it is unknown at this time if alcohol or drugs were a factor in it, according to Machado.
Update at 2:45 p.m.: The CHP has now updated that the incident at Don Pedro Reservoir involving a vehicle that went into the lake at the Fleming Meadows Marina is now a fatality. They report that further details will be released this afternoon.
Update and below written by BJ Hansen at 11:15 am: The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office is providing an update on the incident that occurred at around midnight at Don Pedro Reservoir.
Sgt. Nate Yorston reports that the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call at 11:48 pm reporting that a vehicle went into Lake Don Pedro at Fleming Meadows Marina.
He adds, “TCSO units and the CHP immediately responded to the area and have been on the scene since. Additional resources have been called to the scene by the TCSO, including the TCSO and Calaveras County Boating Units and the TCSO Dive Team. The investigation is ongoing at this time, and more information will be released in due course.”
Original story posted at 8:53 am: Tuolumne County, CA — Law enforcement officials in Tuolumne County are investigating two separate significant incidents this morning.
First, the CHP received a report around midnight that a vehicle was located about 60 feet underwater in Lake Don Pedro. The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office is handling most of the investigation and mutual aid has been requested from surrounding counties to get equipment to retrieve the vehicle. No additional information has been released at this time regarding the specific details.
In addition, the CHP received a report at around seven o’clock this morning that a vehicle had rolled off a cliff in the Stanislaus National Forest in the area of Forest Road 5N06 and Hells Half Acre Road. The area is off Highway 108 above Strawberry. Details are preliminary. It was called in by someone to authorities and officials are now in the area trying to locate it. it is unclear if there were any injuries related to the reported crash.
We will pass along more information on these incidents as they become available.
