Local Woman Identified in Swim Beach Incident

Big Bear Lake, CA, September 17, 2012 – UPDATE: The San Bernardino County Coroner’s office has released the name of the deceased victim found in a car that was pulled from the waters of Big Bear Lake at Swim Beach in Meadow Park last Saturday, September 15^th.  In a bizarre series of events, at approximately 6am, a single vehicle apparently crashed through the fencing at Swim Beach, traveled through the beach area and into the water.  According to the San Bernardino Sun, a neighbor contacted the Sheriff’s Department describing a man who was soaking wet yelling from the fenced area immediately after the incident.  The man is described as the victim’s boyfriend and later explained to deputies that his vehicle had gone into the lake.  The Sheriff’s Dive Team was called to the scene who discovered the vehicle contained a woman’s body and that of a dog.  After investigation, the man at the scene, Ronald Michael Hitchcock, 56, was arrested and booked into the West Valley Detention Center and is currently being held without bail.  The victim, Deborah Crouch, 53 years of age, from Big Bear City was found deceased in the vehicle along with a dog.  The event is under investigation by the Sheriff’s Department Homicide division.  An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death and any contributing factors to her death.  Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Dan Rodriquez at the Sheriff’s Department Homicide division at (909) 387-3589.

Swim Beach Incident – Cathy Herrick Reporting