Loxahatchee Groves man, 20, dies after car plunges into canal near Royal Palm Beach

LOXAHATCHEE GROVES — First responders found a 20-year-old Loxahatchee Groves man dead Friday in a vehicle submerged in a canal, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Monday.

Investigators declared Raymundo Santiago dead at the scene, off G Road East in the northeast corner of Loxahatchee Groves, shortly before 5 p.m.

They determined Santiago lost control of his 2008 Mazda 3 "for undetermined reasons" as he drove southbound, according to a crash report. It veered east into the canal and became submerged.

First responders reached the scene at about 3:30 p.m. and discovered Santiago's body while removing the Mazda from the water. It was not clear from the report how long before then the vehicle left the roadway.

The report does not indicate how fast Santiago was driving at the time of the wreck. It said that neither drugs nor alcohol played any role in the crash.

Santiago was not wearing a seat belt when his body was found, PBSO said.

Tom Elia is an editor at The Palm Beach Post, overseeing coverage of public safety, the courts and Palm Beach County’s northern and western communities. You can reach him at telia@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Car's plunge into South Florida canal kills Loxahatchee Groves man, 20