A driving lesson in Rhode Island took a dark turn after the car plunged into a river on June 28, killing three generations of a family.
Pawtucket police told WJAR the car went into the Seekonk River around 7:30 p.m. June 28. It wasn’t recovered until 2:45 p.m. the following day.
Josue Gomez confirmed his wife, 45-year-old Floridalma, his 19-year-old daughter, Nora, and his 2-year-old granddaughter, Ana, were inside.
He told WJAR his wife was teaching their daughter how to drive when they crashed.
“They went to teach my daughter how to drive, and apparently she didn’t brake, so they ended up in the river,” he told the station in Spanish.
“I heard an explosion or something like that, and then next thing I knew, I turned my head and the car was in the water,” one witness told WJAR. “It disappeared within seconds.”
The car went into the water near the Taft Street boat ramp. Police said a good Samaritan riding a jet ski also tried to help the family.
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Moments before the crash, Gomez said he received a frantic call from his wife.
“She called me again and told me no—that my daughter wasn’t braking,” he said. “They were speeding along, and she wasn’t hitting the brakes. That was the last thing she said to me.”
Pictures posted by WJAR showed the car being lifted out of the river by a crane. The water itself appeared dark and murky, making the search challenging.
First responders were on the scene within three minutes, according to WJAR.
Pawtucket police said they believe the incident was an accident. Preliminary findings suggested that the vehicle was in proper working order, according to authorities.
Police have yet to specify what type of car the teenager was driving.
“They were good people,” Gomez said.
Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien called the incident a “heartbreaking tragedy” in a statement to the Independent.
“Our community mourns alongside them, and we want them to know they are not alone during this unimaginable time,” he said.
Atlanta Black Star reached out to police and the family for more information but has not heard back.
