Second body recovered after truck crash into icy Potomac River
WASHINGTON - U.S. Park Police confirms that a second body has been recovered from the icy waters of the Potomac River following a crash on Arlington Memorial Bridge Thursday night. The individual was pronounced dead at the scene.
This comes after the initial report that the driver of the truck, which plunged into the river after a collision on the bridge, had also died.
After the submerged vehicle was recovered on Friday afternoon, officials announced that they had found a second person's body inside.
Potomac River truck crash, rescue
The backstory:
D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the crash just before 7 p.m. Thursday. Emergency crews, including divers, worked to recover the submerged vehicle and its driver, who was pulled from the river but later pronounced deceased.
Driver dead after truck plunges into icy Potomac River following crash on Arlington Memorial Bridge
The driver of a truck that plunged into the icy Potomac River Thursday night after a collision on the Arlington Memorial Bridge has died, authorities said.
Authorities say the truck collided with another vehicle before veering into oncoming traffic and crashing into the river.
One person in the second vehicle sustained minor injuries and was transported to the hospital.
Dashcam Video Captures the Crash
Big picture view:
Eyewitness Nigisti Adane recorded dashcam footage showing the moments leading up to the crash. She told FOX 5 that the truck sank quickly after hitting the water.
"I called at 6:48, and when the cops came it had been 15 minutes at that point," Adane said. "The truck went straight down. I think usually, I assumed that cars would float a little bit, but it looked like it went straight down."
Ongoing Investigation
What we don't know:
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash and are seeking eyewitness accounts and video footage. D.C. Fire and EMS confirmed that no additional victims were found during secondary searches of the river.
The identities of the individuals involved in the crash have not been released.
The Source: Information from US Park Police, DC Fire and EMS, and witnesses were used in this report.