A man died after he allegedly attempted to evade police by jumping into the historic Erie Canal. The incident took place after City of Tonawanda Police Department (CTPD) officers observed a gray Volvo sedan commit a vehicle and traffic law violation at the intersection of Main and Niagara Streets at around 1:12 a.m. local time on March 26 (Thursday), according to the CTPD news release.
The situation escalated rapidly when authorities initiated a traffic stop on Webster Street after the vehicle crossed the Renaissance Bridge into North Tonawanda. What began as a routine check quickly turned tense as the male driver, 36, suddenly fled on foot, triggering a swift police pursuit through a nearby alley and toward Gateway Harbor along the Erie Canal.
The man then jumped into the canal, which runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie, in an attempt to evade police, the CTPD said.
“A traffic stop was initiated on Webster Street in North Tonawanda, where the driver of the subject vehicle fled on foot. A foot pursuit ensued eastbound along a nearby building and into an alley. The foot pursuit continued southbound through an alley and towards Gateway Harbor along the Erie Canal. The male subject did then jump into the Erie Canal in an attempt to evade police,” the news release read.Cops tried to rescue the man
Live EventsCTPD launched a rescue operation, and additional officers responded to the scene with water rescue equipment. According to the news release, a water rescue throw bag was deployed to the man, and officers began pulling him to shore.
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However, during the rescue effort, the man fell unconscious, at which point an officer entered the water and brought him on shore, where lifesaving measures were performed, the CTPD said. The man was transported by ambulance to Kenmore Mercy Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Man wanted on outstanding arrest warrants
Amid the investigation into the matter, CTP discovered that “the 36-year-old male subject did have outstanding warrants for his arrest from two other Erie County law enforcement agencies,” according to the release. The identity of the male subject is withheld pending notification to the family, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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