Women pulled from submerged car in Rhode Island identified

By MICHELLE R. SMITH and ERIKA NIEDOWSKI
Associated Press

NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) -- Police have identified three women whose bodies were recovered from a car that plunged into the water at a Rhode Island shipyard after the driver apparently missed a turn.

Newport police said Saturday that the victims are Jennifer Way of Saunderstown, R.I.; Louise Owen of the United Kingdom and Femmetje Staring of the Netherlands. They were all 39.

Their bodies were pulled from the car Friday morning after it was found on its roof in 4 feet of water.

Lt. William Fitzgerald says the driver might have missed a turn possibly because of the dark or the weather. A fog advisory had been in effect. The car had fallen 6 to 10 feet.

Fitzgerald says the car had been in the water for hours when a fuel deliveryman spotted it.