18-year-old Wichita woman found dead after car submerged in Arkansas River

An 18-year-old Wichita woman was found dead after a car was found submerged in the Arkansas River early Sunday morning.

At about 7:30 a.m., emergency crews responded to the report of a possible vehicle submersion just off K-96 between I-235 and West Street.

When they arrived, they found a silver 2009 Ford Fusion in the river.

The driver, Lexus Lemuz, was traveling east on K-96 when she went off the road for an unknown reason, struck a guardrail and continued east into the ditch, according to a report from the Kansas Highway Patrol. The car then vaulted into an embankment, struck a fence post and came to a stop in the river.

Nobody else was in the car.

Trooper Thomas Case said he is not sure when the crash occurred, but troopers believe it happened sometime overnight. Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a factor at this time.

The crash is still under investigation.

This story was originally published April 15, 2018 at 11:03 AM with the headline "18-year-old Wichita woman found dead after car submerged in Arkansas River."