Willis Lindsey Delaware teen killed in driving tragedy along with his brother and two cousins after vehicle he was driving plunged into canal- managed to save girlfriend’s life.
An 18-year-old teen boy has been hailed a hero after the vehicle he was driving plunged into a Delaware canal over the weekend, who after saving his girlfriend and bringing her back to shore – jumped back in a bid to help his cousin and younger brothers – only for all four boys to tragically die.
Willis Lindsey and accompanying others were heading to a football game Sunday when his SUV suddenly plunged into the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, KKTV 11 reported.
The Chevy HHR was completely submerged after the 9:40 a.m, New Castle County incident, Master Cpl. Michael Austin of the Delaware State Police said, the Delaware News Journal reported.
The sole survivor of the plunge — Lindsey’s 16-year-old girlfriend, whom first responders found sitting on the bank of the canal — told authorities that her boyfriend had helped bring her to shore. Incredibly the boy in turn jumped back into the water in an attempt to rescue his brothers, 16 and 6, and his cousin, 12, according to the reports.
Neither Lindsey nor the other boys emerged alive.
The boys were later identified along with Willis Lindsey, 18, as being, his 16 year old brother, Kyree Lindsey, and cousins, 12-year-old Eric Lindsey and Ethan Lindsey, 6, – whose body remains unaccounted for.
Dive teams and first responders continue to search The C&D Canal after a vehicle with people inside plunged into the deep water Sunday morning. Waiting for a briefing from DE State Police in Odessa. @6abc pic.twitter.com/CSQsFx81vH
— Annie McCormick (@6abcAnnie) October 6, 2019
Teen driver hailed a hero:
Lindsey’s body was recovered in the water nearby, and hours later, authorities recovered the vehicle from the water, where the 16- and 12-year-old boys were also found dead, the News Journal reported.
The 6-year-old boy remains unaccounted for, according to the report.
‘He was a hero,’ Austin told the paper of Lindsey. ‘He tried to do everything he could to help the remaining passengers in that vehicle.’
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but relatives told CBS Philadelphia that the boys were never supposed to be on that road. They probably got lost and tried turning around before the fatal crash. They were headed to the 6-year-old victim’s football game at the time.
‘He loved his family, like, unbelievable,’ Larry Simpson, who coached the brothers in youth football said. ‘I can really see him rather stay down there with them than come up without them. I really believe that. That was Willis.’
Come Sunday, investigators had yet to account for the body of the missing 6 year old cousin.
Investigators are still working on figuring out what caused the 18-year-old driver to lose control.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family.
