By: centraljersey.com
ROBBINSVILLE – Police on Tuesday continued to investigate the cause of an accident Friday afternoon in which an 85-year-old man died after he lost control of his car and drove it into the icy lake in Town Center.
Police said Andrew Ciriaco, of Hamilton, had parked a 1995 Chevrolet Lumina in a handicapped parking spot behind 1 Union St. The car went into reverse and struck and curb and a tree, then went forward, striking a parked car. It then went over another curb, down an embankment and into the lake, which was partially covered with ice, police said.
When police arrived at the lake after receiving multiple 911 calls shortly before 2 p.m., the car was partially submerged about 30 yards from the shoreline. By the time township police and fire personnel entered the water to attempt a rescue, the car had become fully submerged, police said.
Trenton Rescue No. 1 arrived and placed two divers in the water. At about 2:20 p.m., Mr. Ciriaco was removed from the lake, and EMTs from Robbinsville Division of Fire and EMS, as well as paramedics from Capital Health, started emergency care, police said. Mr. Ciriaco was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, where he was pronounced dead.
Assisting at the scene were West Windsor EMS, Hope Fire Company of Allentown, Trenton Rescue and Mercerville Fire Company. One Robbinsville firefighter received a minor arm injury while attempting a rescue and was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton, police said.
The accident is being investigated by township Patrolman Thomas Egan, the Robbinsville Criminal Investigation Unit and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police ask anyone who witnessed the accident to contact Patrolman Egan or Detective Bryan Boccanfuso at the township Police Department, 609-259-3900.
– Michael Boonin