Mom, Daughter Die After Car Plunges off California Cliff
The Universal City Overlook on Mulholland Drive is closed during the coronavirus pandemic on April 08, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. COVID-19 has spread to most countries around the world, claiming almost 70,000 lives with infections nearing 1.3 million people. Rich Fury/Getty Images

Instead of enjoying the clear weather and beautiful scenery, dozens of individuals present at a popular Northern California coastal overlook became witnesses to a horrific car crash.

An SUV drove through a parking lot without braking and then plunged off a cliff that resulted in the deaths of two women, investigators said Monday.

Based on the statement of an initial witness, the vehicle drove through a wooden barrier in a large parking area at the Head Trail of the Bodega Bay before it suddenly went off the cliff.

According to Associated Press, California Highway Patrol Officer David de Rutte said the reason behind the crash that happened on Saturday was still under investigation.

De Rutte added that witnesses saw that the SUV drove through the parking lot, and it was not even accelerating. However, witnesses noted that the vehicle did not stop and just continued without braking.

Both women were found dead on the crash site by the rescuers who searched the Toyota SUV down the cliff. The vehicle had landed on its roof on the rocks around 100 feet or 30 meters below.

Investigators are still currently determining whether the car crash was intentional or accidental, De Rutte noted.

California authorities identified the driver as 64-year-old Maria Teixeira and her 41-year-old passenger, Elizabeth Correia.

Both women were from the San Francisco Bay Area city of Dublin, which is around 100 miles or 160 kilometers south of the car crash site.

Employees of Public Schools in California

Relatives and sheriff's officials confirmed that both women were mother and daughter, who were public schools' employees in the Bay Area.

Teixeira was a lead custodian at Montevideo Elementary, which is close to San Ramon. On the other hand, Elizabeth Correia was a first-grade teacher at Pleasanton's Lydiksen Elementary, Mercury News reported.

A former colleague of Maria Teixeira, Erin Aitken, who is also a teacher, still cannot believe what happened after hearing the car crash. Aitken is among Teixeira's friends and colleagues who are still struggling with the crash news as it does not make sense to them.

Aitken shared that she remembered how proud Maria Teixeira was when she found that her daughter will become a teacher. She described Teixeira as a warm, happy, and good person who always smiles. Aitken added that Teixeira was a "big cheerleader" for her kids and loved being around and helping children.

Based on the biography of Correia on the website of Lydiksen Elementary, she had taught in Pleasanton since 2005. Pleasanton is the place where she grew up.

Based on her information on the website, Elizabeth Correia enjoyed not only teaching, but also reading, music, movies, art, going to Disneyland, and spending time with family and friends.

The crash happened while beachgoers and hikers gathered to the scenic Pacific Ocean overlook, taking advantage of the clear weather on the Easter holiday weekend, ABC News reported.

WATCH: Two Woman Dead Following Crash in Bodega Bay - From NBC Bay Area