Business owner recounts seeing driver before car entered Prospect Lake

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — New details are emerging in the investigation into a car that drove into Prospect Lake overnight on Feb. 19.

According to CSFD, first responders were dispatched at approximately 5:03 p.m., and upon arrival, two police officers and four firefighters entered the water and rescued the driver within two minutes.

The driver has since been identified by police as Cedric Harp. A nearby business owner says the driver went directly from his parking lot into the lake.

Jesse Krejcarek, who owns 719-Tire near Prospect Lake, tells KRDO13 the driver, a frequent customer, was parked in his lot for about 40 minutes before the incident. Krejcarek says the vehicle then drove from his lot, into the street, and into the lake, where it began to sink.

Krejcarek says he noticed the driver earlier in the night while closing his shop. “I started moving tires last night and saw that he was sleeping in the car,” Krejcarek said. “Because I knew who he was and he is a regular customer, I just let him be.”

Colorado Springs Police says they cannot confirm the business owner’s timeline at this time and cannot release additional details due to the ongoing investigation.

After the rescue, two firefighters were sent to the hospital due to minor injuries and hypothermia. CSFD says all first responders have been released from the hospital, but the rescued driver remains in critical condition.

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KRDO13 will continue to update this story as new information becomes available.

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