© Andre Teague/Bristol Herald CourierPeople gather after news of a deceased driver was found in their car inside a sinkhole along Pleasant Grove Rd. in Bluff City broke Friday evening.
The search for a missing woman ended Friday when her body was found in a car that was stuck in a sinkhole in Bluff City, just a short distance from her home.
Nancy Echevarria, 66, was last seen late Wednesday afternoon driving a blue Chevrolet Lumina, which was found in the sinkhole on property in the 1400 block of Pleasant Grove Road, according to Sullivan County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Leslie Earhart.
"The residents could not see the vehicle while standing on their porch," Earhart said. "It's our understanding that one of the residents was walking his dog in the yard and noticed the sun glistening off something metal in the sinkhole. When he went over to check it out, that's when he found the vehicle."
The resident called 911 around 4:30 p.m. and police and rescue crews responded.
"Officers responded and upon arrival, they found a blue Chevrolet Lumina in the sinkhole with one person deceased," Earhart said.
Echevarria's son, Maylo Echevarria, said his mother dropped him off at a mechanic's garage in Bluff City and was supposed to drive to her home in the 900 block of Pleasant Grove Road, but she never arrived.
Police believe she was driving down Pleasant Grove when she appeared to have crashed off the roadway.
The sinkhole was located about 150-200 feet off the roadway and passing drivers would not have been able to see it.
Comment: The authorities are assuming that the water main break caused the sinkhole, but what if the sinkhole, created by the Earth's 'opening up', caused the the water main to break?