Found Deceased NC - Stephanie Mayorga, 27, & Paige Escalera, 25, Wilmington, 15 Apr 2020

[inmyhumbleopinion]

By Gareth McGrath
Posted May 7, 2020 at 10:40 AM
“Wilmington police on Thursday said they plan to remain tight-lipped about the circumstances surrounding bodies found in a partially submerged car off River Road near Independence Boulevard until the investigation wraps up.

[SBM]

According to a 911 call from that night, a truck driver around 11:50 p.m. saw a car in his rear view mirror traveling at a high rate of speed on Independence Boulevard. The car then ran the stop sign at River Road, possibly hit a wall, and disappeared into the woody wetlands.

‘This is like really serious,’ stated the unidentified 911 caller. ‘There's a stop sign. The car didn't stop at the stop sign and kept driving so fast. I was seeing it with my back mirror. I was already passed the car, you know? And I was seeing it with my back mirror. The car smashed the wall there.‘

After police and emergency crews arrived on the scene, they searched for a few minutes but were unable to find the car or signs that a vehicle had left the road at a high rate of speed, according to police radio traffic.“ (BBM)
Lots of questions, few answers around River Road crash

This is the first time I am seeing in MSM that the vehicle was “partially submerged” when found.

 

[madfrank]

If they hit a wall at high speed there would have been car parts lying about, evidently missed by first responders in their search after the "rear view" report. Something a bit off about this.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Partially submerged could interpreted as to be covered or buried by bushes/vegetation/tree limbs/etc. JMO

 

[Canadianmom2three]

If they hit a wall at high speed there would have been car parts lying about, evidently missed by first responders in their search after the "rear view" report. Something a bit off about this.

I think it's possible that the car just hit the curb and bounced off, but in the dark, looking in a rear view mirror, it may just look like the car hit something and went airborne into the woods. He may have been assuming it was a wall or something.

Although I do not know if this could actually happen by hitting a curb, just a possibility. JMO MOO

**Edited for clarity

 

[FrankReynolds]

If you look at the video of the girls exiting their apartment, you can see Paige is holding a beer bottle.

I suspect me they were both drinking, and probably a bit drunk. I think a quick trip to get snacks ended up in an argument. I think this lead to the high speed crash.

We heard from a prior partner that Stephanie was known to “go off the rails” when drinking. I totally get this — If I drink, I totally loose my wits and do and say things that are completely at odds with my non-drinking self. I’ve driven drunk a lot. I’ve also driven drunk and at lunatic speeds after having an argument.

I want to think it was truly an accident. But I have this nagging feeling that because there was no skid marks that it may have been on purpose.

God bless them both and their families no matter the cause. I guess the cause would be nice to know but in the end we have the death of two beautiful young girls with a lifetime that will go un-lived.

IMO, I agree completely with this.

I think they both have been drinking went to the gas station for a beer run and get snacks. My friends and I done this in our college days (which was very stupid). I think they either got in an argument or went for a joy ride, because what else are they going to do?

The driver either didn't know the road or was too busy looking at each other arguing to realize the road ended and unfortunately crashed. My bet is they were arguing because Independence is a very flat and straight road.

Regardless this is a very sad situation for these two young ladies and their families. I hope the best for their families in these times.

 

[carbuff]

I think it's possible that the car just hit the curb and bounced off, but in the dark, looking in a rear view mirror, it may just look like the car hit something and went airborne into the woods after hitting something. He may have been assuming it was a wall or something.

Although I do not know if this could actually happen by hitting a curb, just a possibility. JMO MOO

Yes, the curb or a low wall could cause a car to become airborne. Happened to some joyriding teens where we used to live--they missed a corner, hit a low retaining wall, and then smashed sideways about ten feet up a big pine tree. Split the car into two pieces that landed quite a distance from each other. It was awful.

 

[hey-Debbie]

Steph & Paige (@paigingthemayos) • Instagram photos and videos

So sad, but I think that this was just a drunken accident. It's a good thing they didn't hurt anyone else. In at least 1 of their videos, Paige is driving with 2 beers between her legs. They are drinking in many of the videos, driving around a lot in their videos.... Put two and two together and you get a whole tragedy. They seemed so happy and full of life, but looks can be deceiving. RIP ladies.

Just wondering where these videos are you're talking about.

 

[bowler]

I think it's possible that the car just hit the curb and bounced off, but in the dark, looking in a rear view mirror, it may just look like the car hit something and went airborne into the woods. He may have been assuming it was a wall or something.

Although I do not know if this could actually happen by hitting a curb, just a possibility. JMO MOO

At that speed, hitting the curb might easily have shot into air doing a end to end flip. Landing on driver's side of front and back onto wheels facing back where they came. That would be like two wrecks in one MOO

 

[aThousandYearsWide]

I think it's possible that the car just hit the curb and bounced off, but in the dark, looking in a rear view mirror, it may just look like the car hit something and went airborne into the woods. He may have been assuming it was a wall or something.

Although I do not know if this could actually happen by hitting a curb, just a possibility. JMO MOO

**Edited for clarity

If it was a curb, a tire could have popped and made a loud booming noise that may have sounded like they hit a wall.

I am speaking from experience unfortunately. My tire popped on a curb I didn't see driving at night. It was very loud.

 

[castilloisno1]

Just wondering where these videos are you're talking about.

The videos are in the link that you quoted . Instagram

 

[stormymama]

MOO. In the back of my mind, I’m getting a Thelma and Louise (if you will) vibe, especially if it is true they were going around 100mph. Otherwise, I think it was just an accident, possibly caused by DUI.

 

[Sillybilly]

Posts bickering over the use of the word velocity and veering off into the Deep South/Old South bickering have been removed.

Stay on topic folks and no bickering.

Thanks.

 

[Lusitana]

Eh, they were drunk in all of those videos...

 

[Lusitana]

Stephanie's Instagram
Paige's Instagram

 

[Sarahlou]

It wouldn't surprise me if they were filming on a phone and that played a part in the crash. They seemed to like filming videos in the car, going by their social media.

 

[leonm]

Stephanie's Instagram
Paige's Instagram

"Entering my quarter life crisis. Its going to be a fast ride. ☠"

Spoiler

 

[glamourkitty1922]

What a terrible and tragic accident. Many of us when young have driven recklessly. Don't you remember your 20s? When you felt invincible? I feel so sorry for their families and friends.

 

[Spartygirl]

If they hit a tree or anything hard at a high speed, their aortas could have torn away from their hearts— so they could have bled to death internally. This is a common internal injury suffered in car crashes. Other organs can tear away from the impact too. It is caused by G forces from a collision with anything. Although, we don’t know if they were wearing seat belts or if the airbags went off.

I just pray that their deaths were quick for them.
I had it stuck in my head once they were found, in the location that was originally searched, that perhaps one or both were still alive for awhile but because they weren't found right away, well, 3 WEEKS later, that they had to suffer sitting/maybe pinned into the car for the days and weeks until they passed.
And then I got PO'd at LE for not finding them sooner.
However, this is JMO and after listening to the 911 call, and the caller kept saying they were going so fast, I now think and hope that they did not suffer, that it was instant. JMO

 

[Kittybunny]

Steph & Paige (@paigingthemayos) • Instagram photos and videos

So sad, but I think that this was just a drunken accident. It's a good thing they didn't hurt anyone else. In at least 1 of their videos, Paige is driving with 2 beers between her legs. They are drinking in many of the videos, driving around a lot in their videos.... Put two and two together and you get a whole tragedy. They seemed so happy and full of life, but looks can be deceiving. RIP ladies.

I agree that this is definitely a possibility. I also think that a murder-suicide is a possibility too, but far less than I did earlier. The cutting of family and friends on social media gives me pause. But I also think if that was the case they would driven into a solid structure more directly. Just recently here in Pittsburgh, a man drove his car head-on into an auto body shop with his wife in the passenger seat because she wouldn't get back together with him and let him see their son because of his erratic behavior. He told her he wanted to die and she would have to go with him. Somehow they both survived but I really don't know how based on the pictures of the shop.

ANYWAY....I think the accident reconstruction and black box data will tell the tale as to whether this was deliberate or just an accident. I think they can tell, maybe not 100% but pretty close.

I know that opiates are top of mind as the crisis is forefront for overdoses, but people forget how deadly alcohol can be, especially on the road. A heroin user can nod off, a pot user will probably just drive slow, but enough alcohol turns people into Nascar drivers who think they are invincible. Alcohol is not harmless just because it's legal.

No matter what, this is such a tragedy. Two young lives, extinguished in an instant.

 

[Snoopster]

Just wanted to say, that this is such a sad ending. Perhaps it's better than stranger violence, but still so sad. Originally I didn't think it was going to end up being a car accident, but now I do. Rest in peace young ladies. I am so sorry that your lives were cut so short, and at just the time when you found each other.

Hugs to your family and friends.