Authorities have identified the victims of a fatal Rainbow Bridge car crash.
The deceased couple, Kurt and Monica Villani, both 53, lost their lives when their vehicle soared into the air and collided on the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls.
The Villanis, residing just 10 miles south of the crash site in Grand Island, New York, were on their way to a concert in Canada, possibly a Kiss show that was later canceled due to illness in the band.
The unsettling event occurred on the eve of American Thanksgiving, a day marked by high travel activity.
The crash prompted a significant emergency response, leading to the closure of four border crossings.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York ruled out terrorism as the cause, emphasizing that the investigation is still unfolding.
The circumstances surrounding the couple’s vehicle rapidly accelerating before becoming airborne and erupting in flames remain unclear.
Mayor Robert Restaino of Niagara Falls mentioned that the Villains were driving an older Bentley, and investigators are exploring various possibilities, including the potential of a mechanical failure causing the acceleration.
According to Governor Hochul, the car was traveling at a “very high rate of speed,” clearing an 8-foot fence on the New York side of the border near a checkpoint.
The vehicle was completely incinerated, leaving only the engine behind, and even the registration plate was not recovered.
The Rainbow Bridge, a vital link for motorists and pedestrians between Niagara Falls, New York, and Niagara Falls, Canada, faced a two-day closure following the incident.
While other nearby bridges, including the Peace, Queenston-Lewiston, and Whirlpool Rapids Bridges, experienced temporary closures, they reopened on Wednesday evening.
Initially handled by the FBI, the investigation found no explosive materials or terrorism connection.
The case was subsequently transferred to the Niagara Falls Police Department in New York State, treating it as a traffic investigation.
As of Friday, the investigation is ongoing, with no additional details provided by the police.
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