- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
Woman rescued from car submerged in Clear Lake
LUCERNE, Calif. – Firefighters rescued a driver whose car went off of Highway 20 and into Clear Lake late Thursday night.
Northshore Fire personnel, Lake County Sheriff's deputies and California Highway Patrol officers were first dispatched to the crash in the area of Highway 20 just west of Foothill Drive shortly before 10:30 p.m., according to radio reports.
At the scene they found a silver four-door sedan on its roof and mostly submerged – except for a rear portion of the car, including its back wheels – in Clear Lake.
CHP Officer Ryan Erickson said the report of the crash first came in as secondhand information from a passerby who had seen lights in the lake.
Late Thursday, Erickson said they didn't yet know much about what had occurred, with the investigation at that point in its early stages.
He said the silver sedan, which had been traveling eastbound on Highway 20, was the only vehicle involved.
Shortly before 11 p.m., firefighters were able to pull the female driver from the vehicle. Erickson said she was given CPR and had a pulse.
A Northshore Fire ambulance transported the woman from the scene a short time later. Erickson said she was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
At that time, Erickson said it was unknown if another person was in the vehicle, and they were waiting for a tow truck to pull the car from the lake.
Due to the rains, the water was murky and rough. The car's lights were still on and could be seen just below the surface of the dark water.
The vehicle was pulled from the water at around midnight, with units clearing the scene about 45 minutes later, according to reports from the scene.
Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos confirmed to Lake County News at 1 a.m. Friday that the driver had been the car's only occupant.
He said at that time he didn't have an update on the woman's condition.
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