The rising sun was bright on Tuesday morning, April 9, and a Canyon Lake resident parked his maroon 1939 Packard on a boat launch ramp and proudly prepared to shoot photographs of the restored classic automobile.
But to his horror, the vintage sedan rolled down the ramp and into about 20 feet of water, becoming fully submerged.
“He was very emotional,” Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse said.
The Fire Department received a call from the property owners association just before 8 a.m. Security workers had noticed an oily sheen near the eastport launch ramp and reviewed surveillance recordings for clues. They saw the Packard disappear completely from view beneath the surface, LaTendresse said.
Unaware that no one was inside, Canyon Lake firefighters, noticing bubbles as well as oil, requested assistance from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department and the Riverside County sheriff’s dive team.
The car’s owner showed up around 8:20 a.m. and told them that the car was unoccupied, LaTendresse said. It was towed from the lake after several hours. Riverside County environmental health workers were called to the lake to handle the clean-up.
The owner could not be reached for comment, but a person who specializes in classic cars said the mishap had to have shocked him.
“You have a mini heart attack. Definitely a pride and joy,” said Pedro Gonzalez, the automotive curator at Carey’s Fine Automobiles in San Bernardino.
He estimated the value before the submersion at $25,000 to $40,000, depending on how much of the car remained original.
Gonzalez said he wasn’t sure how the car could have gotten loose. He said most cars from the 1930s have pull-handle parking brakes. The car could be difficult to save, noting the interior being saturated with water. The wiring — whether it was original or current material — could also be a factor, Gonzalez said.
“It was like his baby,” LaTendresse said.
