FHP: 2 women found dead in submerged car in Bradford County

A community in Bradford County is grieving two women found dead in a submerged car.

Troopers say 33-year-old Heather Jordan and 19-year-old Ciara Kearns were in a car when it crashed into a retention pond off SR 100.

Starke Police Chief Jeff Johnson says a sergeant was at Shell gas station on 301 early Sunday morning when someone flagged him down and told him about the submerged car.

“Nobody could probably see it out there until it broke daylight this morning,” Johnson said.

Sgt. John Ryles called for rescue then found the car upside down in the pond near Lakewood Drive, according to Johnson.

“This water is about chest deep and they didn’t hesitate at all to go in there and try to save them,” Johnson said.

Police said fire rescue helped get the car doors open, and a tow truck pulled the car from the pond.

The women were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

“It was just beyond their grasp,” Johnson said.

The FHP report said troopers do not know what time the gold Chevy Malibu crashed into the pond.

Troopers said it appears the car was traveling north on Lakewood Drive and drove through the intersection with SR 100.

Officials said the car drove onto the grass shoulder, hit the bank surrounding the pond and became airborne, then crashed into the pond.

According to the FHP crash report, troopers are still investigating what led to the crash and it’s unclear if either women were wearing seatbelts.

“Pray for the family and pray for the community,” Johnson said.

Toxicology reports are pending, according to FHP.

Cox Media Group