Police ID Woman Who Died After Driving Car into Gwinnett Pond

Police have identified the woman who was found dead after she drove her car into a Peachtree Corners pond Wednesday morning, but investigators don’t know why the accident happened.

Gwinnett Police said Laura Jones Tavel, 53, of Duluth died when she couldn’t get out of her Honda CR-V after it had veered off Peachtree Corners Circle and into a retention pond around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Tavel was travelling east on Peachtree Corners Circle between Peachtree Parkway and Medlock Bridge Road when it left the road for an unknown reason at a curve in the roadway.

“The driver was unable to exit the vehicle and died on scene after the vehicle sank into approximately 15-20 feet of water,” Gwinnett Police said in a news alert.

Gwinnett firefighters arrived on the scene at 7:32 a.m.

“Witness reported that a person was inside the vehicle at the time,” Capt. Tommy Rutledge said in an email alert around 8:30 a.m. “Crews made attempts to gain access, but have been unsuccessful at this time. The Hall County Dive Team has been requested to respond.”

Tavel’s body was released to the county medical examiner’s office, according to police.

“Investigators continue to investigate this accident and are trying to determine why or what caused the driver to leave the roadway,” Gwinnett Police spokesman Cpl. Ed Ritter said in a release.