Today, however, it's the scene of a rescue turned into a recovery operation: A man who drove his car into the lake has been confirmed dead.
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The lake is accessible from many points, including a public library that overlooks it and parking lots serving a slew of businesses: Macaroni Grill, Christy Sports, Barnes & Noble and a relatively new Walmart Neighborhood Market. There's also a retirement complex at the water's edge. Here's an interactive graphic that'll help you picture the area; if you have problems seeing the image, click "View Larger Map."
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Reports about a car crashing into the lake began circulating over the course of the past hour or so, and in the beginning, there was hope that the driver had survived; in fact, 7News initially reported that "a man was rescued from the lake around 4:45 a.m." But the unhappy truth was confirmed in this tweet from the Colorado State Patrol:
Clement Park: 2007 Pontiac 2D, 1 confirmed fatal, no other vehicles/parties, no info on deceased, under investigation.
— CSP Public Affairs (@CSP_News) August 11, 2014
The "no other parties" mention above was determined after authorities, including a dive team, conducted a search of the lake and surrounding area in the vicinity of the car.
9News notes that a jogger alerted authorities to the crash at around 4:15 a.m. The car was reportedly "racing along the bike path when it lost control, rolling into the lake."Why was the car driving on a bike path at that time of the morning? An investigation into that question and others is underway at this hour.
Send your story tips to the author, Michael Roberts.