The rising sun was bright on Tuesday morning as a Canyon Lake resident parked his maroon 1939 Packard on a boat launch ramp and proudly prepared to shoot photographs of the restored classic automobile.
But to his horror, the vintage sedan rolled down the ramp and into about 20 feet of water, becoming fully submerged.
A 1939 Packard that rolled into the lake from a boat launch ramp in Canyon Lake on April 9, 2024, is pulled from the water. (Courtesy of Canyon Lake Fire Department)
The Fire Department received a call from the property owners association just before 8 a.m.
Security workers had noticed an oily sheen on the Riverside County reservoir and reviewed surveillance video for clues. They saw the Packard disappear beneath the surface, Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse said.
Canyon Lake firefighters noticed bubbles as well as oil and, worried that someone was inside, requested assistance from Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department and the Riverside County sheriff’s dive team.
The car’s owner showed up around 8:20 a.m. and told them it was unoccupied, LaTendresse said. “He was very emotional,” the chief added.
The Packard was towed from the lake after several hours. Riverside County environmental health workers were called to the lake to handle the clean-up.
The owner could not be reached for comment, but a person who specializes in classic cars said the mishap had to have shocked him.
“You have a mini heart attack. Definitely a pride and joy,” said Pedro Gonzalez, the automotive curator at Carey’s Fine Automobiles in San Bernardino.
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He estimated the value before the submersion at $25,000 to $40,000, depending on how much of the car remained original.
Gonzalez said he wasn’t sure how the car could have gotten loose. He said most cars from the 1930s have pull-handle parking brakes.
The car could be difficult to save, noting the interior being saturated with water. The wiring — whether it was original or current material — could also be a factor, Gonzalez said.
“It was like his baby,” LaTendresse said.
