GENEVA, Ohio — A car was discovered submerged in Lake Erie early Friday morning in Ashtabula County.
According to the Geneva Fire Department Chief Dale Arkenburg, people walking along the waters edge at the end of County Line Road spotted a submerged car around 1:30 a.m.
Arkenburg tells News 5 Cleveland that the headlights and taillights were still on as the car sat in the water 75 yards from shore.
Officials believe the driver of the car drove straight out the end on County Line Road where it ends at Lake Road and ended up in Lake Erie.
Divers from Geneva Fire and the Ashtabula Water Rescue Team quickly entered the water and checked the passenger area and determined that no one was in the car.
Around 4:30 a.m. a large tow truck pulled the car from Lake Erie and confirmed no one was inside the car.
News 5 Cleveland photojournalist Mike Vielhaber was heading to the scene around 3:30 a.m. and spotted a man walking along County Line Road near Cashen Road south of the scene. Vielhaber reported to officials the clothing description and based on his description the Ohio State Highway Patrol believes the driver was who Vielhaber spotted.
The driver was the only occupant inside the car. Law enforcement found him shortly after the search stopped, walking along State Route 20. Officials are unsure at this time if the crash is OVI-related.
Officials said as of 5 a.m. Friday they felt confident that no one is in the lake.
