Driver was 'alert and not impaired' before Bentley exploded in border crash
The driver behind the wheel of the Bentley that exploded on the US-Canada border near Niagara Falls was "alert and not impaired" before the fatal crash.
Civil engineer Vincent A Ettari said he believes Kurt Villani was slamming on the brakes of his 2022 Flying Spur desperately before it burst into flames on Wednesday. Kurt and his wife Monica, both 53, were headed to a KISS concert in Toronto when the horrific crash happened.
Mr Ettari, who serves as an expert witness on road design in court said a dark vapour could be seen i surveillance footage of the crash. He explained that suggests Kurt, from New York, was not impaired at the time and was aware of what was going on.
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Shocking footage captured the car flying into the air before crashing and exploding (AP)Speaking to the New York Times he said: "At 100 miles per hour, everything is on the table". Officials have not yet identified exactly what went wrong with the vehicle.
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The couple had been travelling in their $300,000 Bentley, an ultraluxury model capable of reaching 60 miles per hour in four seconds. But Kurt had reportedly told friends in the weeks before the accident there had been a problem with the accelerator.
Bentley had not yet commented on the tragedy. Niagara Falls Police Chief John Faso said the investigation would continue into what caused the car to speed through an intersection, hit a low median and become airborne.
Kurt and his wife were on their way to a KISS concert in Toronto (Michael J. Billoni/Niagara Frontier Publications)
Vincent A. Ettari, a civil engineer, pictured here, said that he believes Villani was frantically touching the brakes of his car as it explodedAccording to Chief Faso, investigators are looking at whether medical or mechanical issues may have contributed to the incident. The car slammed into a row of security booths at the Rainbow Bridge before bursting into flames.
Video and images of the aftermath of the explosion circulated online, prompting widespread concern on both sides of the border. As a result of the crash, officials closed the bridge and three other nearby crossings.
Authorities spent several hours investigating the scene before the FBI's Buffalo office confirmed there were no signs of a terror attack and turned the case over to local police. According to online business records Kurt's family owns Gui's Lumber and seven Ace Hardware stores in New York, with his family operating the business since the mid-1980s.
Kurt Villani, 53, (second left) was killed with his wife on Wednesday when their Bentley lost control and crashed on Rainbow Bridge (Michael J. Billoni/Niagara Frontier Publications)The families and lumber company issued a joint statement through the Erie County Sheriff's Office on Friday, saying: "We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all that extended prayers, condolences, and well wishes. At this point, we are requesting privacy so we may begin the process of healing."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul described the crash as "surreal" saying the vehicle was "basically incinerated" with nothing remaining but an engine and a scattering of charred debris. At a news conference, she said: "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."
Members of the Grand Island community paid tribute to the couple on Thursday, remembering them as a generous and thoughtful couple. Resident Mary Meyer said: "You know, just ploughing everybody's driveway for the love of it, you know what I mean? Just always willing to help and lend a hand. Always, always, always. They were just so very kind wonderful people."
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