Car found submerged in Wallowa Lake
By Shannon McKone on Monday, April 18th, 2022 in Northeastern Oregon News Northeastern Oregon Top Stories
WALLOWA COUNTY – (Release from Wallowa County Sheriff’s Office) On Friday, April 15, 2022 at 12:17 pm, Joseph Zinni called Wallowa County Dispatch and reposted that a car was in the lake off the boat ramp at Wallowa Lake State Park. Zinni stated there were no tire tracks in the snow on the ramp. Wallowa County Deputy Sheriff Billy Wells and Oregon State Police Senior Tropper Goldsmith responded. With the assistance of State Park staff and an underwater camera, it was confirmed there was a car submerged about 40 feet from the water’s edge of the boat ramp.Wallowa County Deputy Sheriff Kyle Hacker responded with the patrol boat, and Umatilla County Deputy Sheriff Doug Primmer, a certified diver, responded to assist SPS Towing in retrieving the vehicle, Joseph Fire and Wallowa Memorial Hospital Emergency Medical Services stood by on scene. A gold colored, 1999 Toyota Camry was pulled from the lake, and the body of Devin Nelson Woempner-Velarde, age 26 of Enterprise, was located inside the passenger area of the car. Dr. Gary Zeigler, Wallowa County Medical Examiner, was on scene. Devin Nelson Woempner-Velarde had been reported missing along with his vehicle from his residence on W. Main St. Enterprise on Monday, April 11, 2022.
