Driver dies, dog survives after vehicle rolls over side of Santa Cruz pier in high waves
A dramatic scene unfolded at the Santa Cruz Pier over the weekend when a car careened off the edge of the pier and into the water, sparking a frantic rescue operation that ended with authorities finding a body and a dog.
Witnesses reported seeing the vehicle crash through a wooden barrier at 9:44 a.m. on Sunday. When firefighters arrived, they found the damaged section about two-thirds of the way from the start of the pier.
Officials said visibility was limited and the waves were large, about 12 feet high, making it difficult to immediately locate the vehicle.
The vehicle was found about 10 minutes later in about 30 feet of water, Santa Cruz Fire Department Battalion Chief Josh Coleman said at a news conference Sunday.
“Within 33 minutes, the victim was extricated from the vehicle and was lying head-down on the ocean floor, severely swollen,” Coleman said.
The victim was pronounced dead at a local hospital. A dog was also rescued from the water and survived, officials said.
Emergency crews included 13 lifeguards, two motorboats and two boats.
Emergency divers remained in the water for an hour to check for other passengers but found none, authorities said.
Authorities did not provide any details about the potential cause of the crash or estimate how fast the vehicle was traveling before driving off the edge of the pier. The incident remains under investigation by the Santa Cruz Police Department.
