Woman Faces Charges After Driving Into San Mateo Lagoon
SAN MATEO (CBS SF) - A woman who allegedly lied to emergency officials about her husband and child being trapped in a car she had driven into a lagoon could face charges, San Mateo police said.
The car was reported in the lagoon near E. Hillsdale Boulevard and South Norfolk Street around 2:50 a.m. Saturday morning, Lt. Ted Gonzales said.
Fire and police officers arriving at the scene saw a vehicle almost entirely submerged in the lagoon and found a woman who had escaped from the vehicle already on the shoreline.
The woman initially said she was the only person in the car, but then changed her story and said that her husband and child were still in the vehicle. San Mateo and Foster City fire officials immediately launched a full water rescue operation in a lagoon Gonzales described as dark and murky.
While the search continued, however, police continued to interview the victim, whose exact identity and city of residence are still being confirmed. After contacting her family, officers were able to determine that her report about her husband and child was false, he said.
The victim was treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
Police are still investigating whether she drove the vehicle into the lagoon on purpose or if it was an accident.
Because she made a false report to police, a full report of the incident will be submitted to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office for review and possible charges, Gonzales said.
"A significant amount of water rescue assets and personnel were deployed for this incident," he said.
The search involved San Mateo and Foster City fire personnel, a Redwood City rescue boat, the San Mateo Harbor Patrol and Cal Fire.
Emergency personnel cleared the scene around 5:40 a.m.
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