Cd'A woman in critical condition after crashing into Fernan Lake

A Coeur d’Alene woman was in the intensive care unit Sunday at Kootenai Health after being pulled from a vehicle submerged in Fernan Lake.

Pepper Richardson, 40, was the driver and only occupant of the vehicle, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office.

Personnel from the Sheriff’s Office, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue and Kootenai County EMS responded around 3:22 p.m. to the 4800 block of E. Fernan Lake Road, after receiving multiple 911 calls that a car crashed into the lake, just east of Coeur d’Alene.

Nathan Drechsel, who was traveling near the crash site and was flagged down by onlookers right after the crash, said Mike Steiner, of Coeur d’Alene, went into the water before the Sheriff’s divers arrived and attempted to retrieve Richardson. Drechsel said Steiner found a window open but could not find anyone in the front seat before the depth and cold water forced him out of the lake.

Divers from the Sheriff’s Office arrived and pulled Richardson from the submerged vehicle about 27 minutes after the first 911 call came in. Richardson was transported to Kootenai Health after EMS personnel established basic vital signs.

Drechsel said divers found Richardson in the back seat of the vehicle.

Richardson was in critical condition at Kootenai Health as of 6:10 p.m. Sunday, said Sheriff Ben Wolfinger, in a news release.

Wolfinger said speed and alcohol appear to be a factor in the crash. An investigation is ongoing.