Father, son die when car crashes into canal

EPHRATA – A father and son from Ephrata died early Monday, Sept. 24, when the car they were in crashed into a canal along Dodson Road about 10 miles south of Ephrata.

According to County Coroner Craig Morrison, Victor Aguilar Rocha, 48, died of a blow to the head. His son, Victor Aguilar, 19 drowned in the canal.

It appears there were no witnesses to the accident. Grant County Sheriff's deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call by passersby about downed power lines near Dodson at Road 4 at 6:30 a.m. They found the car in the canal.

Investigators determined the vehicle was northbound on Dodson and left the roadway, struck a utility pole and came to rest on its top in a drainage canal. The Rochas were declared dead at the scene.

The cause of death for Victor Aguilar Rocha was determined by Morrison to be “Blunt Force Trauma of Head”. His son, Victor Aguilar’s cause of death was “Fresh Water Drowning”.

The manner of their deaths was ruled accident.