Anacostia River

Man dead after SUV plunges into Anacostia River

The man was pulled from the SUV and taken to a hospital in life-threatening condition

NBC Universal, Inc.

A man died after first responders pulled him from an SUV that plunged into the Anacostia River on Christmas Day, police said.

Michael Jerome Dennis was inside the vehicle, police said in an update Wednesday. He was 38 and lived in Southeast.

The SUV went into the water near the 11th Street Bridge, and D.C. Fire and EMS responded to a 911 call just before 2 p.m. Divers and a water rescue vehicle entered the Anacostia to search for any victims of the crash.

The man was pulled from the SUV and taken to a hospital in life-threatening condition. Police later reported his death. First responders continued searching for other victims, but did not find any in the SUV or the water.

The three rescue divers and two rescue swimmers that performed the search and rescue were out of the Anacostia as of about 2:30 p.m. and undergoing decontamination.

According to the initial investigation, the 2011 Chevy Tahoe was headed north on Anacostia Drive SE when, β€œfor unknown reasons,” the SUV crossed over a footpath and a grass embankment and entered the river, police said in a statement Wednesday.

Anyone with potentially relevant information is asked to contact police.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Contact Us