A dramatic scene unfolded at the Santa Cruz Wharf over the weekend when a vehicle went off the edge of the pier and into the water, sparking a frantic rescue effort that ended with authorities recovering a body and a dog.
Witnesses reported seeing the vehicle break through the wooden railing at 9:44 a.m. on Sunday. When firefighters arrived, they found the damaged section about two-thirds of the way along the wharf.
Visibility was limited, and the surf was high, with waves about 12 feet tall, making it difficult to immediately locate the vehicle, officials said. After about 10 minutes, the vehicle was spotted resting on its roof in approximately 30 feet of water, according to Santa Cruz Fire Department Battalion Chief Josh Coleman at a news conference on Sunday.
“The victim was brought out of a vehicle, upside down, at the bottom of the ocean floor, with significant swelling, in 33 minutes,” Coleman said.
The victim was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. A dog was also pulled from the water and survived, officials confirmed.
The emergency response involved 13 lifeguards, two jet skis, and two boats. Emergency divers remained in the water for about an hour, searching for any additional passengers in the vehicle, but none were found, authorities reported.
At this time, authorities have not provided details about the cause of the incident or estimated how fast the vehicle was traveling before it went off the edge of the wharf. The incident remains under investigation by the Santa Cruz Police Department.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-10-27/santa-cruz-driver-dog-wharf-rescue