Man Dies After Vehicle Plunges Into Water Near La Jolla Cove
A man whose vehicle plummeted into the ocean near La Jolla Cove has died at the hospital, according to local news reports.
The crash occurred just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, a witness called local authorities to report the crash, which happened right off Coast Boulevard and near La Jolla Cove.
San Diego lifeguards pulled the driver, 76, from the fully submerged Toyota Prius and brought him ashore. At the time, the driver was reportedly unconscious and unresponsive, so lifeguards initiated lifesaving measures.
Reportedly, a team of six lifeguards pulled the man from the car just 13 minutes after receiving the 911 call. An additional 30 personnel from various first-responding agencies also assisted with the rescue.
The man died of his injuries at a La Jolla area hospital later Tuesday night, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed. He was not identified.
According to the San Diego Police Department, it’s still too early in the investigation to determine if speeding, drugs, or alcohol had a role to play in the crash. No other people were found in the vehicle or in the waters nearby.
Police pulled the vehicle from the water on Wednesday morning. The crash itself is still under investigation by local authorities.
This isn’t the first time that local authorities have had to perform a rescue from a vehicle in the area. Back in 2023, firefighters helped save a man whose car was dangling over stormy waters in La Jolla Cove.
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Mike Peterson is a writer, editor, and strategist based in San Diego. When he’s not writing and editing the La Jolla news, you can often find him practicing yoga, rock climbing, or exploring the outdoors with his wife and dog.
