Man's heart condition may have led to crash that killed Burlington couple: police
Investigators now believe a sudden medical emergency may have led up to a car plunging into Hamilton Harbour on July 2, killing the married couple inside.
A 55-year-old man and 51-year-old woman from Burlington were found in the navy blue sedan after it was pulled from the water at the LaSalle Park Marina near the edge of Lake Ontario.
The man was behind the wheel when the vehicle crashed into the lake, but police don't suspect foul play, says Const. Ryan Anderson.
"Medical factors may have contributed to this incident and the coroner has listed a medical condition involving the heart (of the male) as the cause of death on the preliminary report," he wrote in an email.
Anderson declined to go into detail about the man's medical condition, citing concerns around privacy.
The woman died by drowning, say police.
The service's collision reconstruction unit inspected the vehicle and found there were no defects that could have caused a loss of control, Anderson added.
Emergency crews were called to the park around 8 p.m. after witnesses reported seeing the car crash through a concrete barrier and into the water. Police say it became "fully submerged" about 12 metres from shore.
Emergency workers and bystanders who saw the crash tried to save the people inside, but weren't successful. The car was eventually hauled out with the help of a dive team and a heavy tow service.
Trevor Wadham previously told CBC News that he heard two crashes and a splash, then watched as the car sank down in the water.
He said he saw two bystanders jump in and try to help.
"People were kind of frantic to see what they could do," said Wadham, noting the speed of the car and the poor visibility in the lake.
"Really, there was nothing anybody could do."
