Draft:Collision at Rainbow Bridge

Collision at Rainbow Bridge

Collision site
Date	November 22, 2023 (2023-11-22)
Time	11:27 am
Location	Niagara Falls, New York near Rainbow Bridge
Type	Traffic collision
Cause	Inconclusive; Most likely mechanical failure, leading driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Casualties
2 deaths in the accident; 1 nonfatal injury

A collision near Niagara Falls International Rainbow Bridge occurred at 11:27 am on November 22, 2023. A car traveling at high speed hit a median while approaching the security checkpoint on the American side of the bridge. The car became airborne and crashed into several booths at the checkpoint before bursting into flames. The accident caused the deaths of the two passengers in the car and nonfatal injuries to a border patrol agent. Major disruptions to travel resulted, and the crash provoked international attention.

Authorities initially treated the collision as a potential terrorist attack, given that it occurred at a major crossing of the Canada–United States border and that there was a large explosion. As a precaution, several border crossings were closed, including the Rainbow Bridge. Other disruptions to travel included the halting of international flights at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the suspension of Amtrak services at the border. Law enforcement found no connection to terrorism. The most likely cause of the crash was a mechanical failure of the car that prevented the driver from breaking. The occupants of the car were a married couple who owned businesses in Grand Island, New York.

Incident

Video of the car flying through the air next to the security checkpoint at Rainbow Bridge.

Kurt and Monica Villani, both aged 53, departed their residence in Grand Island, New York on the morning of November 22, 2023 to attend a concert by Kiss in Toronto, Canada. The married couple briefly stopped at the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel on their way to cross the border at the Rainbow Bridge, one of four border crossings close to Niagara Falls.  

The couple's car, a Bentley Flying Spur, approached the border crossing at Rainbow Bridge around 11:20 am at high speed. For about a quarter mile while en route to the bridge, the car sped through four intersections, narrowly missing other cars. Footage captured on CCTV then shows the car hitting a median near the security checkpoint, going airborne, and flying over an eight-foot fence. The car landed among several booths, where it burst into flames and scattered debris. A border patrol agent who was in a booth in close proximity to the accident sustained minor injuries. The driver of the car, Kurt Villani, and his wife, Monica, died in the collision. The site of the crash was about 500 yards from Niagara Falls.

Aftermath

Investigation of possible terrorism

Sign for road leading up to the Rainbow Bridge, just before where the accident occurred.

Authorities did not immediately know the reason for the crash or the identities of the vehicle's occupants. A heavy presence of law enforcement converged on the scene, including a bomb squad prompted by the unknown nature of the large explosion. The Buffalo field office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation in the hours after the incident, and the agency treated the incident as a possible terrorist attack. Concerns about terrorism led to the closure of three other border crossings: the Peace Bridge, the Lewiston–Queenston Bridge, and Whirlpool Rapids Bridge.

Enhanced security measures were taken throughout the region. The Buffalo Niagara International Airport halted international flights, required passengers to undergo additional screening, and scrutinized cars entering the airport. Officials at Amtrak also halted services between New York State and Toronto. In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced additional security precautions throughout the city, while the police in Toronto increased the number of officers on patrols. Officials at the White House stated that President Joe Biden was closely monitoring the situation. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also briefed on the situation.

Swabbing of the areas by investigators led to no identification of any chemicals used in explosives, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who was briefed on the situation. The evening of the incident on November 22, the FBI turned the handling of the case over to the Niagara Police Department, following the agency's assessment that no terrorism was involved. That same evening, the Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul, gave a press conference. She described the anxiety in the region caused by the incident, and she assured listeners that authorities had found no connection to terrorism. Hochul announced the reopening of border crossing, with the exception of Rainbow Bridge, which remained closed.

Investigation of mechanical failure

A Bentley Flying Spur, the type of car involved in the collision.

After terrorism was ruled out, the investigation shifted to considering that the accident was a result of mechanical failure. The type of car in the incident, a Bentley Flying Spur, weighs 5,137 pounds, generates 542 horse power, and is capable of reaching a speed of 60 miles per hour in 4 seconds. The car had been the subject of previous recalls relating to seatbelts, the entertainment system, and airbags; however, no recalls were connected to issues with acceleration. The New York Times provided insight from a civil engineer who remarked on video footage showing a trail of dark vapor behind the car before it left the roadway; the engineer attributed the vapor to the driver pushing on the breaks. The maker of the car, Bentley, declined to turn over records to authorities on the car involved because of concerns about releasing confidential information, but the company said that it would comply with requests for records if compelled by a subpoena from the Niagara County District Attorney's Office. Investigators were able to recover a black box from the car, though this hardware was severely damaged, preventing efforts to extract information from it.

Reactions

"I saw the video of an airborne vehicle that was absolutely surreal. You actually had to look at it and say, was this generated by AI? Because it was so surreal to see. How high in the air this vehicle went, and then the crash, and the explosion, and the fire."

New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaking at a press conference on evening of the incident.

The airborne car and subsequent explosion caused shock among witnesses to the crash. One onlooker described mistaking the car for a plane, while another described seeing a huge ball of fire after the collision. The video of the incident, captured on CCTV, also received widespread attention–– the Governor of New York called it "surreal". Following the identification of the couple involved in the crash, reactions included remembrances for the couple who died in the accident. The married couple had two children, and they owned several Ace Hardware Stores in Grand Island.

Misinformation about the incident proliferated on social media, leading the chief of police in Niagara to caution the public about avoiding unreliable sources. Many politicians also erroneously connected the collision to terrorism, before the circumstances had been established. Pierre Poilievre, a Canadian lawmaker, asked what Prime Minister Trudeau, a political opponent, was doing to prevent terrorism. In the United States, Congressman Wesley Hunt referenced the collision in a tweet, writing: “Will Biden secure the border? Will Biden confront the threat? No. The invasion will continue while ‘MAGA Republicans’ are targeted by this regime.” Poilievre and Hunt both received criticism for their remarks.

See also

• List of traffic collisions (2000–present)