A Long Beach woman was found dead inside a car that ended up submerged in an Irvine lake on Thanksgiving night, according to police.
Irvine police said the incident happened around 9:57 p.m. Thursday. A witness told police that a vehicle was headed south on Yale Avenue from Irvine Center Drive when it came to a T intersection but continued driving straight. The car went over a curb and continued into the lake, according to police.
Crews from the Orange County Fire Authority were “able to locate the vehicle submerged about 30 yards from the water’s edge.”
With the help of a dive team, rescuers brought the car to the surface. The female driver, who was the only person inside, was dead, according to police.
Authorities identified her as Camilla Megan Mendoza of Long Beach.
Detectives are investigating what caused the crash. They asked anyone with information to contact Detective Christopher Ostrowski at 949-724-7047 or [email protected].
After conducting a thorough search utilizing our swift water team, helicopter, and ground resources in partnership with Irvine Police and Huntington Beach PD’s helicopter we were able to locate and extract the vehicle. >>>> pic.twitter.com/NcwXbZAKk7
— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) November 24, 2023