Five bodies were found in Delta

norcal_99 03-25-2004, 11:56 PM

Five Dead In Submerged Car

Investigators Say Drinking May Be To Blame

March 25, 2004

SUISUN CITY -- Five bodies were found dead in a partially submerged car off the side of a road in a slough near Suisun City, the California Highway Patrol said Thursday.

California Department of Fish and Game employees contacted the CHP just after 1 p.m. to report the grisly find, said CHP Officer Virgil Aguilar.

"We don't know at this time how this happened," Aguilar said. "There's so many possibilities about how this could have happened."

Paramedics, Fish and Game officials and the Solano County coroner were all on the scene at 5 p.m., trying to figure out how to access the car.

Suisun City is located about 45 miles southwest of Sacramento. The slough where the car rested Thursday is near the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, 10,487 acres of popular hiking and hunting owned by the State of California and managed by the Department of Fish and Game.
Copyright © 2004, KTXL

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 03-26-2004, 6:18 AM

That stretch of hwy 4 between Stockton and Disco is famous for that too (and levee fires!)

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 03-26-2004, 6:52 AM

Saw this one the news this morning. Sounds like they were hangin' corners....or trying too.

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 8:12 AM

Such a tragic event!!! This morning it was confirmed that they had been drinking and driving and the youngest person involved was 14.

Take it from some one who know alcohol and driving don't mix on the water or on the road!

(lzyboy) · (lzyboy) **Join Date: Jun 2001** 03-26-2004, 8:38 AM

Teri,

I 100% agree this is tragic event... The Delta roads are windy and dangerous in spots. Where did you here confrimation they had been drinking and driving? I heard of the speculation last night, but have they completed an autopsy yet?

God Bless em'

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 8:47 AM

This morning on Channel 10 news out of Sacramento. I can't seem to find any confirmations via the web though!

wakelvr 03-26-2004, 9:21 AM

The whole thing is very sad, and very strange. I can't even imagine what it would be like to fall victim to something like this. I mean, does a car sink that fast? Don't you have at least seconds to get out of the car before it becomes completely submerged? The current probably played a factor in the fact that none of them could escape the car and swim to safety, well, along with the fact that they may have been intoxicated. Very sad.... I would like to hear more details.

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 03-26-2004, 9:27 AM

Hitting water at high speeds is like hitting a wall. My guess is that they were unconscious or injured to the point where they couldn't scramble to get out.

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 9:57 AM

I'm wondering if any of them had their seatbelts on...this is similar to the girl who drove her car into the lagoon earlier this week while learning how to drive. The passenger was seatbelted in and could not get out, she died. Two cars in the water in one week. Tragic!

(sloshake) · (sloshake) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 03-26-2004, 10:06 AM

I had read before (can't remember where at all right now) that its very difficult to open the car door while you're sinking. You actually need to wait till you're full submerged to open the car door. This was a few years ago I heard this.

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 10:17 AM

Not only do you need to wait until fully emerged but they say the best thing to do is to start to roll down the window as you are sinking once you are fully submerged it's also difficult to roll the window down, specially if you have power windows. By cracking the window it allows the car to fill up with water, but releaves the some outside pressure and believe it or not buys you more time to escape the vehicle!

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 03-26-2004, 10:17 AM

Or roll the windows down first. The pressure of the water trying to enter the car holds the door closed.

(wake_fun) · (wake_fun) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 03-26-2004, 10:42 AM

#1 Shouldn't drink and drive.
#2 Shouldn't drink under age.
#3 Don't get into a car with the driver that has been drinking.
#4 Five less drunks off the road that won't kill me and my family.

(Message edited by wake_fun on March 26, 2004)

(dbo) · (dbo) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 03-26-2004, 10:45 AM

there were 5 of them and how do you think the families feel about this you cant be so inconsiderate of the people. they made a bad decision and it cost them. but dont be so inconsiderate.

(wake_fun) · (wake_fun) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 03-26-2004, 10:53 AM

All I can say is this, have one of your family members get killed by a drunk and see how you will feel about it! or get hit by one yourself and barely live to tell about it.

As you can see, I have ZERO tolerance for this kind of stuff. Everyone has different views on these things.

(aaronlee13) · (aaronlee13) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 03-26-2004, 10:55 AM

people just dont learn...
I guess its like survival of the fittest in the works

(rock_n_boardin)

That really sucks, man when I was that age my friends and I weren't really into the drinking thing. But some of the stupid things we did, especially around the age of 16 to 17 with new drivers licensed. I wonder how we didn't end up the same way. Tragic!

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 11:31 AM

Wake_Fun - The drive of the car was 18, one passenger was 37, two were 15 and one was 14. I am sure they were out fishing for the day and yes while it's obvious from reports at the scene the victims had been drinking we can not speculate. The news did say this morning that the driver had been drinking but I'm reading that has yet to be confirmed.

Your statement #4 seems a little cold hearted. I unfortunately suffer from a drunk driving accident, I was the innocent victim. I know exactly how you feel and probably feel even stronger, BUT the fact of the matter here is that regardless these CHILDREN do have family that survives them and to be lost as such a young age is rather tragic. My guess is that the 14 and 15 years olds didn't know better, the 18 and 37 year old however did. Personally at 14 and 15 I am sure they elected not to stand on a deserted levee road in the chilly evening night an hour or more away from their home and family. Unfortunately they were forced to enter a vehicle they had no control over! I value your opinion and your views and understand that public chat can some times be non emotional, but taken from some one who's been there, your statement does sound cold.

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 11:33 AM

Wake_Fun - I am a surviver a druk driving accident and I almost didn't live to tell about it! As mentioned I understand where you are coming from, I'm just less angry about it!

(wake_fun) · (wake_fun) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 03-26-2004, 11:47 AM

At 14 being a freshman in high school, you know the laws, you know right from wrong.

The report I read said that there were at least a dozen beer bottles in the floor of the car, and one person had their seat belt on.

People make choices in life, this was the wrong choice that someone made and now five people are dead.

Ghettofish,
It's good to hear that you made it through.

jetgofish 03-26-2004, 11:52 AM

All we can do is wait for the autopsy reports now!

Wake_fun - more story isn't a very good one, but I have the heavens above to thank for that!

We should all be reminded with the warm temps we are having that it's just as dangerous if not more dangerous to drink and drive while on the water! Be responsible people!

(jonb) · (jonb) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 03-26-2004, 1:03 PM

This is sad news, hopefully others will learn from it.

(alan_bogdanoff)

All we can do now is prey for the families of the kids. Very tragic.