Police: 2 Dead After SUV Crashes Through Barrier, Plunges Into Water At New Rochelle Beach
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – Two people have died after an SUV crashed into the Long Island Sound Tuesday afternoon.
According to authorities, the accident happened just before 3 p.m. at Hudson Park in New Rochelle. One man was pulled quickly after the vehicle broke through a metal guardrail and plunged into the water. Police say about an hour later, another body was discovered in the wreck and eventually taken away in a body bag.
Witnesses told CBS2's Tony Aiello the man was driving erratically in the beach's parking lot before plunging into Echo Bay.
"I just froze because I had to literally take a double take. I was just so surprised. I was like 'what just happened in front of me?' Then I realized. It clicked. Someone just drove into the water. Absolutely crazy," Destinique McFarland said.
Luckily, Hudson Park is right next to the New Rochelle police's marine unit headquarters. As the man's blue SUV bobbed in the water, a police officer saw the accident and summoned divers to the scene.
Police say the driver is a local man who may have suffered a medical issue right before the accident. The victims of the wreck have not been identified.
"The car was weaving around the parking lot so we're presuming he was having some kind of medical episode at the time, and then ended up going through the guardrail here into the water," New Rochelle police commissioner Joseph Schaller said.
