After a rather dramatic crash on Route 80 east near milepost 66.9, a BMW was found to be submerged in the Hackensack River.
Fortunately for the driver, he was able to escape, but not before attempting to evade authorities by hiding beneath a nearby train.
The incident itself happened on the Hackensack River Bridge in Ridgefield Park Village, Bergen County, at around 10 pm.
According to a preliminary investigation, the incident happened as a result of a collision between the BMW SUV and a Land Rover SUV.
Crash Causes SUV To Be Submerged in New Jersey River
The driver of the BMW SUV was identified as 32-year-old Zorawar S Kohli of Englewood Cliffs. The occupants in the Land Rover SUV were not identified.
The City of Hackensack Fire Department believes that the two vehicles collided with one another on the highway, which caused the BMW to cross over the concrete barrier and plunge into the river.
The Land Rover was not submerged, though it was reported that both the driver and the passenger suffered minor injuries.
Currently, it is unclear what the exact reason was for the collision, though it is not the first time something like it has happened.
Suspect Attempts To Hide From Cops Under Nearby Train
Instead of staying by his vehicle or at the scene, Kohli escaped his car and fled on foot. He was later found underneath a nearby train before being taken into custody by an officer and his K9.
As a result of the incident and his fleeing, Kohli now faces a variety of charges, including fourth-degree obstruction, fourth-degree resisting arrest by flight, two counts of assault by auto, and multiple motor vehicle offenses.
If convicted, then Kohli could be looking at nearly five years in prison and up to $30,000 in fines.
It appears that this would be the very first time that Kohli has been charged with anything similar to these charges.
Similar Incidents Have Happened Before
Hackensack officials have noted that this sort of incident on the bridge has occurred in the past.
It was reported back in 2015 that two women drove off the bridge and into the trees below the bridge after being cut off. Fortunately, the two women survived.
Brookside Towing was successfully able to remove the submerged BMW SUV from the river after the scene was officially cleared.
While officials have not yet explained the exact reason why the collusion happened, or whether additional charges would be filed, the incident did raise new concerns about safety along Route 80.