At about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 16, Thelma Gray, 73, of Townsend was found deceased in her Buick Regal automobile, which was submerged in the Appoquinimink River south of Odessa.
She was found by divers of the New Castle County Dive Team.
    Delaware State Police Public Information Officer Cpl. Jeff Whitmarsh stated in a press release that Gray’s vehicle was located in the water about 200 feet from where witnesses reported the car drove off U.S. 13 southbound. Witnesses observed the vehicle floating eastbound in the waterway at about 5:30 p.m.
    “A witness called 9-1-1 reporting they observed an unknown vehicle traveling southbound on U.S. 13 when it left the roadway and entered the center grass median. This occurred just prior to the southbound lane bridge that crosses the Appoquinimink River,” Whitmarsh stated. “The vehicle was observed traveling down the embankment, in between the southbound and northbound bridges, and then entering the waterway.
    “These witnesses also reported the vehicle floated a short distance before it completely sank underwater,” Whitmarsh stated. “Troopers arrived on scene and observed tire impressions in the grass that support what the witnesses have provided.”
    Kenny Getty, public information officer for the Odessa Fire Company, stated in an email message that the dive team, New Castle County Emergency Medical Technicians, and the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit and Ground Units were dispatched at 5:33 p.m.
    He stated Odessa Fire Company rescue personnel, who were at Station 24 in Odessa, arrived with an ambulance, heavy rescue and deputy chief two minutes after dispatch.
     “The vehicle started traveling east down the Appoquinimink due to strong current and change in the tide,” he stated.
    Getty stated rescue boats from Odessa, Middletown, Port Penn, Delaware City, Holloway Terrace, Minquas of Newport and Goodwill of New Castle fire companies responded and deployed numerous water rescue personnel. Citizens Hose Company of Smyrna, Townsend and Christiana fire companies also assisted. More than 100 rescuers were on scene within a few minutes.
    The north and southbound lanes of U.S. 13 were closed for more than five hours during the search on Nov. 16, and again during the recovery of the car on Nov. 17.
The DSP stated it is unknown why Gray’s vehicle left the roadway and there were no other vehicles involved in the incident.