On Nov. 29, at approximately 3:40 p.m., the Evesham Police and Fire Departments responded Route 73 at the intersection of Evesham Road for a report of a vehicle that drove off of the roadway into a lake. 79-year-old Maria Santos of Riverside was driving her vehicle northbound on the roadway when it crashed into the lake.
Arriving police officers found that a single vehicle left the roadway launched approximately 30 feet into the lake located on the southwestern corner of the Promenade Shopping Center, 500 Route 73 South, Marlton. The vehicle was completely submerged under water and witnesses reported that the driver was still inside of the vehicle.
Members of the Evesham Police and Fire Departments entered the water and removed Santos from the vehicle. The occupant was transported to Virtua Hospital in Marlton. At the hospital Santos was pronounced dead. The surviving members of the Santos family have been properly notified by police representatives.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing; however at this time it appears that the vehicle was traveling on Route 73 northbound prior to driving off of the roadway into the lake.
No police personnel were injured during the rescue efforts. One member of the Evesham Fire Department was injured, sustaining a hand laceration from broken glass.
The autopsy is scheduled to be performed Wednesday at the Burlington County Medical Examiner’s Office.
