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(Newark-WABC, October 24, 2004) -- It began with a birthday party, and ended in unfathomable tragedy. Three women died when their SUV ran over an embankment in Newark, plunged into the Passaic River and sank below the surface.
Now it appears the victims phoned family and friends instead of 911. Eyewitness News New Jersey reporter Jen Maxfield has the story.
Those friends called 911 for them, and the Newark Fire Department arrived within three minutes. But since they don't have a dive team, there was little or nothing those first responders could do.
It would be almost an hour before scuba divers from another town arrived here, and by then it was too late.
Heartbroken relatives gathered near the banks of the Passaic River this afternoon, where the three women drowned in an early-morning accident.
Carol Wilson: "They were all beautiful. And she shouldn't go out like this. She shouldn't go out like this."
Carol Wilson's daughter-in-law Gail was driving a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee when she lost control, crashed into a fence and the vehicle plunged into the Passaic River.
Rafael Miranda heard the crash from his house across the street. He jumped into the water as the Jeep was sinking.
Rafael Miranda, Good Samaritan: "I was trying to break, and trying to break the glass, and I couldn't, I just couldn't."
Cuban Perdomo, Witness: "They were saying, 'Help us.. help me, help me.' That's all they screamed. 'Help us!'"
As Miranda tried in vain to help, 39-year-old Monique Hawkins, 34-year-old Nicole Floyd, and 35-year-old Gail Williams made one final call.
Leah Wilson, Victim's Partner: "They were on the cell phone, and they were saying, 'We was in an accident. We going under water. She can't swim, she can't swim. And then the phones went dead."
Friends called Newark police for help. But there was only so much help Newark could offer. The largest city in New Jersey, home to both the Passaic and Newark Bay, doesn't have a dive rescue team.
The city had to call in help from another town. Wallington Police say their divers arrived at 5:29, one hour after the crash.
Newark Police were not available to talk to us about this accident on camera today. They say they are investigating, and that they don't believe there were any other cars involved.
They say they're looking into whether alcohol was a factor in the crash. But friends here tell us Gail Williams never drank alcohol, and that is why she was behind the wheel.
