Car stolen in 1998 found in pond
BY AMANDA BLAND World Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
12/05/12 at 6:17 AM
Four men off-roading near 71st Street and U.S. 169 early Tuesday found a car reported stolen 14 years ago, authorities said.
Christopher Elliott, 18, said he and three others had been driving in a secluded area near the Mingo Trail south of 71st Street for several hours in a Chevrolet Blazer when the SUV became stuck and the group called another friend for help.
When the friend arrived to free the Blazer, his headlights illuminated the roof of a vehicle centimeters above the water line.
"When we were waiting, we saw a green light in the water," Elliott said.
The group said they called 911 and began asking themselves, "What's in there?"
A Tulsa Fire Department rescue crew responded around 6:20 a.m. and waded into the water with an inflatable boat. They found no immediate evidence of a body, District Chief Jeremy Moore said.
A police dive team was initially contacted but elected not to respond unless evidence of a violent crime or body was found, Officer Jillian Roberson said. There was no evidence of either late Tuesday morning.
Police units at the scene checked the car's Illinois license plate before the car was pulled from the pond and found it registered to an Oldsmobile reported stolen from a Tulsa apartment complex in 1998, Officer Don Holloway said.
Police later determined the tag was registered to the submerged vehicle.
A tow truck, its operator and several firefighters worked for more than an hour to free the Oldsmobile. They returned the car to the water, after opening the doors and checking the trunk, to allow the mud to flow out of the vehicle before towing it away, Fire Capt. Stan May said.
Police said that despite low water levels from the drought, they could not recall any similar incidents within the last year.
City crews drained a retention pond near Fifth Street and Mingo Road in October 2011 after a dog found a human foot on the pond's bank, the Tulsa World previously reported.
Two vehicles were found inside the pond, including a Ford Expedition which contained the remains of Sheila Sharp, also known as Sheila Scott, police determined. Sharp had been missing since Valentine's Day 2006.
Original Print Headline: Car stolen in '98 is found in pond
Amanda Bland 918-581-8413
amanda.bland@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Emergency crews work to remove a submerged car from a pond just south of 71st Street and west of U.S. 169 in south Tulsa on Tuesday. CORY YOUNG / Tulsa World
|
