Diane Morrow, a 47-year-old Lake Orion woman, was killed June 11 after the truck she was driving careened into Buckhorn Lake at the Orion Cove apartment complex on Kimberly Road.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office (OSCO), Morrow didn’t live in the complex, but her boyfriend did. The single vehicle crash occurred at 12:11 p.m., according to police.
The investigation continues, deputies said, adding drug and alcohol tests won’t come back for months.
Eye-witnesses say they urged the woman to get out of the vehicle after it had plunged into the water, to which the victim repeatedly replied, ‘No.?
Sgt. Michael Suarez of the OCSD Orion substation was one of the first officers on the scene, arriving at 12:16 p.m., approximately two minutes after the first deputies arrived at 12:14 p.m..
The 911 call was placed at 12:11 p.m.
The first deputy on the scene received help from a citizen in a canoe and was attempting to get to Morrow. At that time, the the car had been in the water about ten minutes.
‘It had slowly drifted out into the lake prior to us getting there,? Suarez said, about 75-100 feet from shore.
The truck was still above water when he arrived, but only for a few precious minutes.
In that time, police and witnesses on shore implored the woman to get out of the SUV, but she refused.
The truck began sinking, according to Suarez. By 12:18 p.m., it was completely underwater.
‘It was gone real quick,? Suarez said.
The deputy who had arrived first and the citizen in canoe attempted to make contact with Morrow.
According to Suarez, by the time the deputy got to where the truck had sunk, the water depth from the truck’s top to the surface was over his head. The deputy tried to dive to Morrow, but was unable to locate her.
Oxford Township firefighters had arrived with dive suits in the meantime. They were able to free the woman from her vehicle and take her to shore for medical treatment.
Morrow was taken to Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 1:26 p.m.
Breanna Ettinger was in her nearby apartment when she heard the Chevy Tahoe go into the lake.
‘I heard a big crash, then tires squeal,? she said.
Ettinger then ran out of her apartment and saw the truck in the lake.
‘Everyone was screaming at her, ‘Get out of the car,? but she said, ‘No,?? Ettinger said. ‘I don’t know why she said no. I don’t know why you wouldn’t get out.?
Ed Utsler also witnessed the events from the shore.
‘She spun right around, and whoosh, was right in the lake,? he said. ‘It was like watching a movie. It was surreal.?