UPDATE: THP identifies the driver whose car went into Parksville Lake

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: The Tennessee Highway Patrol has identified the driver as 46-year-old Michele L. Lorino.
 
The THP says that Lorino’s 2019 Toyota Camry, traveling eastbound, went off the right side of US-64, where it hit a rock wall and guardrail which sent the vehicle airborne and into Parksville Lake.
 
The vehicle was recovered Saturday.
 
 
PREVIOUS STORY: Polk County Sheriff Steve Ross says crews recovered the vehicle from Lake Ocoee Saturday afternoon.
 
Authorities say there was one body inside.
 
 
PREVIOUS STORY: A devastating incident at Lake Ocoee leaves Polk County officials with many unanswered questions after an hours-long investigation came up empty.
 
Earlier Friday afternoon, authorities responded to a tip saying a car had hit a guardrail and plummeted into the lake below. The search for the vehicle is currently an ongoing investigation, and they say they plan to resume rescue efforts at 8:00am Saturday.
 
So, where, exactly, could this car be, and why is it so hard to find?
 
“The problem is, it’s a real steep lake, and depending upon where the car floated before it went completely underwater, we’ve got probably three square miles it could be at,” says Clay Ingle, County Special Task and Rescue Service.
 
Clay says they take certain precautions when conducting search and rescue operations, and Lake Ocoee has some characteristics that make it even more difficult.
 
“Well, it goes to 102 feet, we know…so we’ve got to be careful,” Ingle says. “We can’t just drop divers in there, because if they’re diving at a hundred feet, they’ve got like five minutes in the water before they have to decompress so they don’t get nitrogen sickness.”
 
There are many factors these crews have to take into consideration, like diver running low on oxygen and running out of daylight.
 
“We had to shut down today because we have a live river here that we’ve got to keep flowing water, and if not, then all the wildlife will die,” Ingle says. “Plus, it’s going to be dark, and dark depth is dangerous.”
 
Search and rescue operations were full-force Friday, and they plan to do the same Saturday.
 
“We’ve probably put ten divers in the water. We had six boats out here at one time–the time I was told. It’s man-power heavy,” Ingle says. “We’re probably going to have five or six boats out tomorrow. We’re gonna have two different dive teams here and one to two ROV’s–it’s very man-power heavy.”
 
People are urged to stay away from the scene heavy traffic on both the water and land can interfere with the investigation.
 
“It makes it dangerous for the rescuers on the shore,” Ingle says. “Don’t come out in your boats because it’s going to–one–take up our space we need to park our trailer for our rescue boats, and you’re going to encroach–try to encroach–where our rescue divers are at.”

Posted in

Recent

Archive

 2024
 August
Cleveland City Schools & Bradley Co. Schools back-to-school schedulesLee’s Dr. Murray receives COG Distinguished Educator AwardUPDATE: THP identifies the driver whose car went into Parksville LakeBradley County Commission meeting recapCleveland City School Board meeting recapOoltewah home destroyed in early morning fireTennessee announced as first state to provide families with free diapers, amid new TennCare benefitPolk County residents concerned after picture showing decaying bridge pillar surfacesTwo Bradley Co. Schools educators nominated for TN Principal / Supervisor of the Year awardsSearch continues for missing juvenile in ClevelandAll Bradley Co. Schools students eligible for free meals for 2024-25 school yearCity of Cleveland announces revised hours for public pools for rest of seasonAthens drug best leads to arrest, seizure of drugs, guns, cash and explosivesUPDATE: Body found, believed to be missing Grundy Co. manTVA to upgrade technology and relocate operations system to Georgetown, TNInfant found dead in unattended car in Collegedale; father charged with reckless homicideBradley County Commission work session recapCleveland City Council meeting recapHCSO School Resource Deputy involved in head-on collision on Hwy. 58 in Meigs Co.Cleveland City Schools announces passing of longtime educator, Barbara EctorTN celebrating three consecutive months of record-low unemploymentDBJ Realty and J-&-S Restaurants, Inc. file lawsuit against new Food City on Highway 411 in Polk Co.Bradley County Commission meeting recapHigh School Football Schedules 2024“RARE INCIDENT” Cleveland construction worker dies trapped 9 feet under trenchState of Tennessee begins issuing newly designed driver licenses & ID cardsUnemployment rates drop in a majority of Tennessee countiesUPDATE: TOSHA now investigating fatal trench collapseWalmart recalls apple juice sold in 25 states due to elevated arsenic levelsUPDATE: Man faces murder charge after woman's body found in Athens church fireCollegedale police arrest woman for using drugs with children in carBradley County Commission meeting recapCleveland City Council meeting recapCyclist dies in crash on South Lee HighwayUPDATE: All three victims dead after Cleveland house fireTVA plans to increase power rates to 5.25% this fallStudent arrested for carrying stolen, loaded handgun at Howard High SchoolAuto theft suspect arrested after police chase on Hwy 153; stolen car recoveredChancellor Jerri S. Bryant denies 10th Judicial District Attorney Elect Stephen Hatchett's petition to take office before term beginsCleveland State to receive GIVE grant from state8 school threats reported in first 3 weeks of school in Tennessee ValleyUPDATE: Chattanooga State Confirms Campus is SafeUPDATE: “Potential gunman” threatened to harm Chatt State students if payment not receivedSen. Blackburn questions DHS and ICE over losing track of 32,000 migrant childrenManhunt underway for man who fired shots at deputies

Categories

Tags