SANTA CRUZ — A driver died Sunday morning after their vehicle crashed through railing along the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and into the Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz Fire Department officials announced in an afternoon press conference near the crash site.
The vehicle was recovered, as was a dog that was found in the water nearby.
Josh Coleman, Santa Cruz Fire Department battalion chief, said the department — along with the Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol, Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County and U.S. Coast Guard — responded to reports of a vehicle that had gone over the side of the wharf at approximately 9:49 a.m. Upon arrival, first responders found approximately 15 feet of railing missing across from Marini’s Candies near the northern end of the wharf. Bystanders were able to corroborate reports of a vehicle crashing through the railing and falling into the water.
A Toyota Sienna minivan was found submerged beneath the water, and Coleman said responding units immediately made entry into the water.
“After approximately 10 minutes of doing a search in very unfavorable conditions, limited visibility, approximately 30 feet of water, they located the vehicle on its roof with all the windows intact and the subject inside unconscious,” he said.
Thirteen lifeguards, two personal watercraft and two boats were deployed, and responders were able to break a window and extricate the occupant, Coleman said. The occupant — whose name, age, gender and city of residence have not yet been identified — was loaded onto a watercraft and transported to the Santa Cruz Harbor where American Medical Response and fire crews administered aid until the patient was transported to Dominican Hospital where they were pronounced dead.
Coleman said a dog was found in the water during the rescue efforts and is currently with Santa Cruz County Animal Control Services.
Coleman said the occupant was extricated within 33 minutes, and the van was brought to the surface with the help of a heavy wrecker tow truck. No additional injuries or environmental impacts were reported.
David Bodine, a marine safety captain with the Santa Cruz Fire Department, said video provided of the incident was inconclusive in determining if there were other victims in the minivan, and bystanders never reported witnessing additional occupants, but the department still responded as if there were multiple victims, in keeping with United States Lifesaving Association standards.
“Once we got the first victim at approximately 33 minutes, we didn’t know if there was possibly other victims,” he said. “We kept diving until from (when) the first diver dove to an hour, and once that, it becomes a recovery.”
The Santa Cruz Fire Department received assistance from the Santa Cruz Police Department, Scotts Valley Fire Department, Central Fire District, Harbor Patrol, American Medical Response, U.S. Coast Guard and California State Parks. Coleman said crews at the wharf also provided assistance.
“They were able to courageously help us with some dive operations,” he said. “We’re very thankful to have that relationship.”
The wharf was temporarily closed, but by the afternoon, it had reopened to vehicular and pedestrian traffic apart from the impact site, which had been cordoned off with police tape. Coleman said wharf crews will be conducting repairs in the coming days.
Factors leading up to the crash, such as how fast the vehicle was going and what caused the car to go off the wharf, remain under investigation.
