Investigation into fatal accident on Rainbow Bridge closed

Adam Gorski and Marlee Tuskes

53 mins ago

BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) — Eight months after a bomb accident at the Rainbow Bridge killed two Grand Island residents, the investigation into the incident has been completed.

Surveillance camera video captured on November 22 showed a Bentley driven by Kurt and Monica Villani, both 53, speeding through an intersection, hitting a median and being thrown into the air before crashing into the control booths of the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and exploding.

Since there are no new developments, the case is closed, according to Niagara Falls Mayor Rob Restaino.

Restaino said the lack of evidence is a major problem. In December, News 4 WIVB reported that the vehicle’s data recorder was found but was badly damaged as a result of the crash.

“In some respects (investigators) continued to try to gather additional information from the evidence they had to create a report, and they went as far as they could in doing that,” Restaino said. “As far as the investigation could go, the case is obviously closed.”

Restaino says he understands that this is not the sense of closure that the community, and especially the Villanis’ relatives, had hoped for.

The mayor added that Niagara Falls Police will investigate if new evidence or information becomes available.