NORTHRIDGE : Man Hits Hydrant, Dies in Flooded Car

Like a bizarre tale out of the Twilight Zone, authorities announced Friday they have yet to determine whether a Granada Hills man drowned in his own car after it plowed over a fire hydrant, triggering a storm of water that flooded his convertible.

Killed in the accident was Robert E. McDonald Jr., 30, who was found sitting in his Volkswagen at the intersection of Devonshire Street and Melvin Avenue about 3 a.m. Thursday with water up to his chest and gallons more pounding down on his face.

“He appeared to be moving, but actually the force of the water was making him bob,” said John Mellen, a Los Angeles Times delivery-truck driver who tried to rescue McDonald. “There was just an incredible amount of water.”

Coroner’s officials had not determined an official cause of death Friday, nor had police determined a cause for the crash.

Los Angeles Police Detective Jim Mann of the Valley traffic division, said McDonald was apparently driving his convertible Volkswagen with the top down east on Devonshire. For an unknown reason, he ran off the road and collided with a curb, fire hydrant and lamp post before being stopped by a block wall.

The fire hydrant was sheared off at the ground, causing a powerful gush of water to shoot into the air, filling McDonald’s car, Mellen said.

Mellen was en route to North Hollywood to deliver newspapers when he spotted water shooting from the ground and tail lights shining through. He said he drove slowly past the strange scene, but backed up and left his truck when he realized there was someone sitting in the car.

“I made a decision to go in and try and get him out,” Mellen said. “I was just getting soaked. I tried to lift him out, but he was too heavy.” Another motorist stopped to help and together the two men managed to pull McDonald from the car. They then took turns trying to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on him without success.

Mellen said firefighters and police who later arrived at the scene told him McDonald may have drowned in the water pouring into his car, since he suffered no obvious injuries.

Coroner’s spokesman Scott Carrier said initial autopsy results failed to determine a cause of death. He said his office is awaiting toxicology test results and that more tests maybe performed to determine whether McDonald drowned.