According to reports, the investigation into the car crash and explosion that killed the married couple inside the vehicle on Wednesday at a border checkpoint in Niagara Falls, New York, is looking into potential medical or mechanical problems.
Officials revealed that information when they named Kurt P. Villani and Monica Villani, both 53, as the victims of the Rainbow Bridge crash. The Villani family operates a lumber company in the Buffalo, New York, area in addition to multiple hardware stores.
The New York Times reported that Niagara Falls mayor Robert Restaino suggested the Villanis may have initially been traveling to a Kiss concert in Canada that had been postponed for a few hours.
The 2022 Bentley Flying Spur owned by the Villanis crashed into a low median and shot through the air as it raced through an intersection at Rainbow Bridge. The opulent vehicle smashed into a row of security booths before catching fire.
News 4 Buffalo cited Niagara Falls police superintendent John Faso as saying, “They’re sifting through all the data right now and basically, the investigation has just started and it isn’t going to be concluded any time soon.”
“They’ll investigate whether this was a medical incident, weather-related problems, and mechanical issues.”
Faso is also reported to have stated: “We will be examining every aspect.” Whatever information we can glean from it, including speed and mechanical problems.
The deadly collision swiftly sparked political debate about border safety and security concerns. Fears of a possible terror threat led to the closure of the US-Canada border crossings at Lewiston, Whirlpool, and Peace Bridge.
According to some early media reports, there was even a terror attack involving explosives. However, FBI representatives have stated that there was no proof of explosives or a plot to commit terrorism.
Since then, local police have taken over the investigation from federal authorities and are handling it like a routine traffic accident.
Rep. Mike Kelly, a Republican from Pennsylvania, was one of the people who angrily refuted false claims that the crash was related to terrorism. “Warned about the surge of suspected terrorists entering through our northern border,” Kelly wrote on social media.
The car was essentially “incinerated,” according to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, with the exception of its engine and some burned debris.
According to the local police department, investigators were searching through the debris for the vehicle’s black box. According to News 4, recovering the device was challenging due to the condition of the scene, even though it could have been crucial in identifying the cause of the accident.
“Putting together a visible or undamaged car is one thing; you can proceed from here,” Faso remarked. That is obviously not the case in this instance. That is the main challenge at the moment.