Fisherman helps find submerged vehicle with 64-year-old, dog inside, SC officials say
A body was found inside a vehicle in a South Carolina lake, officials said.
A fisherman called 911 at about 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15, after discovering a submerged vehicle in Lake Hartwell near Westminster, according to a Feb. 15 news release from Oconee County Coroner Karl E. Addis.
A 64-year-old woman and her pet dog were found dead inside the vehicle, officials said.
Members of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Department and Oconee Fire Emergency Services went to the scene to investigate, the coroner’s office said. The woman was identified as Westminster resident India Medlin, who officials say passed her home before ending up in the lake.
The vehicle was about 75 yards out from the lake shore, per the coroner’s office. It was not damaged, according to officials.
The vehicle appeared to travel down a pathway leading to the lake, the coroner’s office said. Officials believe a medical issue could have contributed to the incident due to her medical history, authorities said.
An autopsy was scheduled for Friday, Feb. 16, according to the coroner’s office.
Lake Hartwell is along the Georgia-South Carolina border and is about 65 miles southwest of Greenville.
