Spokane Valley man killed when car crashed into Hayden Lake

UPDATE: An autopsy was performed on Christopher Lancaster Tuesday. Investigators believe alcohol was a factor in the crash and are expecting final autopsy reports in four to six weeks.

Andrea Berkey was released from the hospital with minor injuries.

Prior to this incident, there have been two vehicle crashes into the water at Honeysuckle Boat Launch in the past 12 years, with one being a fatality. Both occurred in 2011 and alcohol intoxication was determined to be the primary cause of these two other crashes.

This is an ongoing investigation and additional information will be released when appropriate.

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A Spokane Valley man died early Saturday morning in Hayden Lake, after the car he was in went into the water.

Christopher Lancaster, 34, was declared dead at the hospital. 25-year-old Andrea Berkey, of Post Falls, was treated for minor injuries.

At about 2:30 a.m., the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office received a call that a car had gone into the lake near the Honeysuckle Boat Launch. The caller reported that two people were inside the sinking vehicle.

When KCSO and other agencies arrived on scene, crews found Berkey holding onto the dock but still in the water. They tried to remove Lancaster from car but were not successful until KCSO dive teams were deployed.

Both victims were transported by ambulance to Kootenai Health, where Lancaster died.

Investigators are still processing the scene. This story will be updated when more information is available.

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