Woman Who Drove Off Long Beach Pier Identified

The woman who's car plunged from Pier G into Long Beach Harbor was identified Wednesday as Diana Dass, 64, of Long Beach. But the Long Beach police department was still investigating whether she drove the car off the loading area intentionally or accidentally.

According to the police department press office, the investigation thus far, including witness interviews, indicates that the driver's car was barreling down the Long Beach Freeway (710) erratically and at high speed southbound; witnesses also reported the car speeding and "erratic" as it headed along Pier G, which is located near an industrial part of the Queen Mary land strip. The car went off the end Tuesday at about 1:10 p.m.

Prescription medicine bottles were found in the driver's purse and in the car, but further tests will be required to determine whether Dass was driving in altered state.

Long Beach Fire Department divers freed the woman from the car, which was submerged 30 feet under the ocean surface, but she suffered major head trauma, police said Wednesday evening. Rescuers loaded her onto a boat for shore, but she was declared dead shortly after arriving to St. Mary Medical Center.

The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office said Wednesday that it had not received the victim's body but that it will determine the official cause of death.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact Long Beach Police Accident Investigations Detective Brian Watt at (562) 570-7355.