Midshipman Dead After Vehicle Found In Creek

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- A Naval Academy midshipman was found dead after crashing his SUV into a creek on campus. NCIS is investigating what happened and how the vehicle went into the water without anyone noticing.

Christie Ileto has more.

Orange barriers serve as a makeshift wall Monday where U.S. Naval Academy officials say a midshipman and his car mysteriously ran off a heavily traveled campus road into College Creek below.

"Losing a member of our family is something we take very seriously and we obviously never want it to happen," said USNA Public Affairs Officer John Schofield.

Peers stopped to grieve at the site. Officials say a passerby reported one of the concrete columns was missing over the weekend. The midshipman's body was later discovered near a white SUV in icy waters that stand between 8-12 feet deep.

The NCIS is now investigating.

"The accident most likely took place early morning hours Saturday to Sunday when the vehicle was discovered," Schofield said.

There are still so many unanswered questions Monday night. How did this happen? Why? Some midshipmen said off camera they never expected anything like this to happen at their school.

"I don't know. I'm at a loss for words," said one.

Beyond the academy's gates, a community also tries to make sense of this tragedy.

"I was kind of shocked and sad to hear that somebody in our community would be hurt like that," said one.

"You feel really sorry for the families who did their best to get him here and for his young age," said another.

While the midshipman's identity will not yet be released, the brigade stands one man short.

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