Crime & Safety

Woman Pulled From Submerged Car At Harper Identified

The woman has been identified by the Cook County Medical Examiner's office as Victoria Auer.

UPDATED: 10:11 A.M. FRIDAY, March 25

A woman who died after being pulled from a car that was found floating in a pond in 6 to 8 feet of water at Harper College has been identified.

The Cook County Medical Examiner's office has identified the woman as 64-year-old Victoria Auer of Rolling Meadows. Harper College officials said that Auer took several continuing education classes at the college in 1997 and 1998.

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Auer's vehicle was seen in a pond near Harper College late Thursday morning.

"Shortly before noon a Harper student saw the top of a car floating in one of our ponds," said Phil Burdick, chief communications officer for Harper.

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Burdick said there is an ongoing joint investigation by the Harper College police, Palatine Police and Cook County Medical Examiner's office.

Auer was taken to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.

The vehicle was pulled from the pond at about 3:05 p.m. Burdick said the pond was located on the north side of Harper's campus, near Roselle Road and Euclid Road.

The vehicle was found near building W of the campus, close to parking lot 13.

Burdick said the student who first saw the car contacted campus police who called the Palatine Fire Department. Palatine Deputy Fire Chief Scott Andersen said dive teams were dispatched to the scene.

The Palatine Fire Department received the call at about 12:07 p.m.  The dive team was in the water by about 12:26 p.m., fire officials said. The department removed Auer from the vehicle and then searched the pond to make sure there were not additional victims, a press release from the fire department states.

Divers from Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect and Schaumburg assisted.


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