Bodies Of 2 Men Found Submerged In Tesla, Below I-5 In Laguna Niguel

MISSION VIEJO, CA — The bodies of two men were found in a partially submerged vehicle off Interstate 5 and Crown Valley Parkway Thursday night, officials say.

At approximately 11 p.m., California Highway Patrol officers learned of a vehicle found below the I-5 southbound Freeway, north of Crown Valley Parkway, between the freeway and a self-storage facility in Laguna Niguel.

"For reasons still under investigation, the 2016 Tesla veered off the roadway and ultimately came to rest in the creek, which runs just west of the freeway," a CHP spokesperson said.

"Both the driver and passenger sustained fatal injuries as a result of this crash," they said. The driver was wearing his seatbelt, and the CHP officers did not disclose if the passenger was also belted at the time of the crash.

It was not immediately known how long the vehicle had been unnoticed in the area, obscured by brush and trees. The area near the creek is edged by thick vegetation on the storage facility side and obscured by trees from the roadway above.

Though authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims, pending notification of next of kin, the community of Mission Viejo has actively searched for two missing men, Brandon Blackthorne and Chandler Sykes, both missing since Dec. 23.

Alan Sykes, the father of Chandler Sykes, has stated over a Facebook post that his son was among the deceased inside the vehicle.

Blackthorne worked as an Uber driver when he went missing, known as the driver of a 2016 Tesla. His family has yet to comment on the reports.

The Orange County Sheriff's Department Coroner's Bureau will release the identities once all parties have been notified.

Related:

Man In Tesla Missing In South Orange County: Have You Seen Brandon?