Fulton, NY -- A man who Fulton police said intentionally drove his car into the Oswego River was rescued by a witness and Fulton firefighters this afternoon. Brad Bennett of Fulton was working on his boat, which was tied up to the wall of Tow Path Park, saw the man drive his gold For Taurus car into the river about...
Fulton, NY -- A man who Fulton police said intentionally drove his car into the Oswego River was rescued by a witness and Fulton firefighters this afternoon.
Brad Bennett of Fulton was working on his boat, which was tied up to the wall of Tow Path Park, saw the man drive his gold For Taurus car into the river about 1:50 p.m. He said the car was traveling at a good clip when it drove off the road, across about 15 feet of grass and over the wall.
“He was on the phone when he went in,” Bennett said.
Bennett called 911 and then ran to where the car went over the wall with a rope.
“He took a while to get out. It was pretty surprising,” Bennett said.
Bennett said he threw the rope two or three times to the man before he was able to grab it. The whole time, the man refused to let go of his cell phone, Bennett said. Members of the Fulton Fire Department joined Bennett in pulling him out, he said.
Fulton Police Chief Orlo Green said that driver Michael A. Howell, 21, of Oswego, intentionally drove his car into the water between Locks 2 and 3. Howell was the only one in the car, and told firefighters that when he was pulled out, Green said.
Green was taken to Oswego Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Members of the Oswego County Sheriff’s Department dive team joined police and firefighters. The divers found the vehicle about 20 feet out from the wall in about 15 feet of water, a firefighter said.
Divers made sure there was no one else in the vehicle and assisted in pulling the car from the water by a heavy wrecker. It was out of the water about two hours after it went in.
Green said the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.