Car Plunges Into Ravine in Suspected Murder-Suicide Try
- Share via
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Orange County sheriff’s deputies were searching late Saturday in a steep ravine for the occupants of a car that may have been deliberately driven off Ortega Highway about 15 miles east of Interstate 5, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman said.
Authorities suspect at least two people were inside the car.
“There are strong indications that the vehicle was driven off the cliff,” said Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Wilkerson. “Information from a San Bernardino case and the fact that a witness saw the vehicle go off the cliff . . . leads us to believe it may be a suicide-murder.”
Wilkerson said the car plunged 400 feet down the ravine about 7:40 p.m., making discovery of any victims extremely difficult because of the terrain and darkness. Officials from the Sheriff’s Department, Orange County coroner’s office and California Highway Patrol were at the scene late Saturday.
Wilkerson said the murder-suicide investigation involved a missing person’s report stemming from a domestic dispute in San Bernardino County.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
