Tesla Driver Found Dead, Vehicle In Pond Along Winding East Bay Road
ALAMEDA COUNTY (CBS SF) – A 34-year-old Danville man was discovered early Monday still strapped inside a submerged Tesla Model S that careened off Crow Canyon Road and crashed into a rural pond, authorities said.
Alameda County Sheriff Sgt. Ray Kelly identified the driver as Keith Leung. Authorities said it was too early to tell if drugs or alcohol played a role in the crash.
Kelly also could not say if the car's auto pilot was in use at the time of the crash.
"We understand the interest in this case based on the type of car that was involved," he said. "We'll work with CHP throughout the coming days to find some answers."
Leung's vehicle was traveling north on Crow Canyon Road late Sunday night, crashed through a fence, traveled through a field and crashed into the pond, sinking into the murky waters 60 feet from the shore, the California Highway Patrol said.
"The vehicle did travel a significant ways from the roadway so it is believed the vehicle could have gone airborne based on some of the damage to a sign located in the area," a CHP officer said.
Kelly said a local resident called 911 to report the crash after finding debris along the shore of the pond. An Alameda County Sheriff's Department dive team worked for several hours to extricate the car and the driver from the pond that had zero visibility and was filled with branches and other natural debris.
The crash scene is located in Alameda County and is considered to be located in Castro Valley, but it is within a mile of the San Ramon city limits and the Contra Costa County line.
The CHP said the roadway was closed around 1:45 a.m. Monday. A Sig-alert was issued around 4:20 a.m. and canceled when the roadway reopened at 5:46 a.m.
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