Stolen vehicle intentionally driven into river

Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Sgt Charles E Mulligan informed local Historic City News reporters that assets from the dive team, patrol division and fire-rescue, responded to the sighting of a 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo; found partially submerged, head-first, in the St Johns River near the Shands Bridge on SR-16.

Mulligan, who reported last night from the scene, told Historic City News that the vehicle was unattended and divers were unable to locate any passengers before the vehicle was extracted from the water.

“We got the call and notified Florida Highway Patrol at about 8:45 p.m. last night,” Mulligan told reporters. “Our first concern was that someone was trapped inside the vehicle — which proved to be false.”

According to the crash report filed by Trooper Dawn Tomlinson, the red coupe was underwater up to the roof; sustaining an estimated 4,000 in damages.

“The vehicle was intentionally driven into the St Johns River by an unknown person,” Tomlinson wrote. The investigation showed that the vehicle had been reported stolen; however, the identity of the owner was not released because the investigation is continuing.

A concrete block had been placed on the gas pedal to force the vehicle to travel westerly on the north grass shoulder of SR-16 at the east end of the Shands Bridge, according to the report released this morning. “The vehicle traveled over concrete pieces of the river breakfront and into the river.”

Photo credits: © 2012 Historic City News contributed photograph by Sgt CE Mulligan, SJSO