A Mazda CX-5 was found floating in shallow water off a Massachusetts beach early Sunday, kicking off a search that eventually led police to a Florida man inside a neighboring hotel.
The SUV had extensive front-end damage, and no one was inside when Falmouth police reached the beach in front of the Falmouth Yacht Club shortly before 7 a.m. Sept. 27.
Police believe the Mazda failed to stop at an intersection, continued into a guardrail separating the sidewalk from the beach and crashed through it before coming to rest in the water.
The discovery came as a nor’easter was hitting the Cape Cod area, although police have not said whether the weather contributed to the crash. CBS Boston reported the storm brought heavy rain and strong winds to Falmouth.
The Search
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As officers searched for whoever had been inside the Mazda, they found evidence of an attempted breaking and entering at the Falmouth Yacht Club along with discarded property on the club’s grounds, according to a Falmouth Police Department release.
At about 8:30 a.m., officers located the suspected driver, a 23-year-old man from Florida, inside a room at the neighboring Tides Hotel.
Falmouth Fire Rescue took him to Falmouth Hospital in stable condition.
Charges Expected
A heavy-duty towing company later pulled the Mazda from the water. Police said there was no indication the crash caused an environmental impact.
The department did not identify the man or announce specific charges. Police said the crash and subsequent activity involving the suspected driver remain under investigation, with criminal charges expected once that investigation is complete.