ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The volunteer civilian dive group Sunshine State Sonar helped authorities recover human remains from a sunken sedan in a retention pond near Union Park on Saturday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers responded around 8:30 a.m. to the area of Dean Road near Eastmar Commons Boulevard, where the dive group located a 2009 Toyota Corolla and notified law enforcement, an FHP report states.
The vehicle had run off of Dean Road and plunged into the pond for unknown reasons, according to the report. It was recovered from the pond and unidentified human remains were found within, troopers said, adding the exact date and time of the crash was not yet known and the person’s identity was pending word from the medical examiner’s office.
The crash is associated with a missing persons case under investigation by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, according to FHP, though no further details were immediately available.
Sunshine State Sonar shared a statement on social media announcing the discovery of the human remains and stating the missing persons case dates to 2023.
News 6 has reached out to the sheriff’s office and is working to learn more about the case.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.