Submerged Car Recovered From Schuylkill River, Search For Driver Continues
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia police and rescue crews located and recovered a vehicle from the Schuylkill River after witnesses reported seeing the car go under water Thursday afternoon.
A little after 4:30 p.m., authorities initiated a water search at Kelly Drive near North Ferry Road in the East Falls section of the city.
Witnesses who were either running or biking along Kelly Drive say they saw a dark blue sedan drive through the barrier and plunge into the river where they say the female driver screamed for help and never made it out of the water.
"She was coming off the (Roosevelt) expressway, and she was coming so fast, she couldn't even turn. She just went right through the wall," said Larry Bishop, one of the witnesses. "It looked like she was going about 80 or 90 mph," he said.
After a lengthy search, authorities located and recovered a 2008 Mercury Gran Marquis from the water. Earlier a purse and a cell phone believed to belong to the reported female driver were also found.
The car's PA License plate number is: GXW-1953
According to police, the vehicle's registered owner was contacted by police who told them he lent the car to his girlfriend early thursday morning.
The Philadelphia Police Marine Unit dive team resumed their search for the body as of 7 a.m. Friday morning.
Stay with CBSPhilly.com for more details on this developing story.
