A 15-year-old high school student was found dead inside a submerged vehicle after driving it into a Fresno County canal, leaving his family questioning how the tragedy unfolded.
On Saturday morning, a passerby spotted a vehicle’s wheels protruding from a canal in in Tranquility about 30 miles outside of Fresno and called authorities.
After the vehicle was pulled from the water, the Fresno County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Luis Hernandez, of Tranquillity.
Hernandez was a student at Tranquillity High School who had been preparing to enter his sophomore year, according to ABC30.
The California Highway Patrol believes Hernandez lost control of the car when driving toward a left-hand curve before the vehicle entered the canal.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said it remains unclear how long he had been inside the submerged vehicle before he was found.
The crash has left Hernandez’s relatives searching for answers. They said he was driving alone in a vehicle that didn’t belong to him and that he didn’t have a driver’s permit, circumstances they say were out of character for the teen.
“We are wondering too, what had happened? That was not him,” his aunt, Maricela, told ABC30.
“Nobody knew where he was going because that was not him. He was not a troublemaker; he would never do stuff like that, like just taking off,” she added.
Family members described Hernandez as a focused student and dedicated soccer player who hoped to make something of himself.
“It makes me feel really sad because he was a young man. If anything, sadness comes to me because we had many plans,” Maricela told the outlet.
“He wanted to be someone. He didn’t know what he wanted to do as far as his career, but he wanted to be someone.”
Loved ones also remembered Hernandez as quiet, family-oriented and always willing to help around the house. They said he loved spending time with his younger siblings and was well-liked by friends, many of whom have been stopping by the family’s home to offer support in the days since the crash.
“I want them to know he had a kind heart. We love him very much,” Marciela added.
The California Highway Patrol is still investigating what caused the crash.
Hernandez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses, while a memorial now stands near the site where the vehicle was recovered.
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