Man Dies In Vernon's Paper Mill Pond Trying To Swim From A Crash

VERNON, CT — A man died Thursday night after trying to flee a crash on East Main Street in Vernon by swimming across a pond, police said.

The crash involving a Chevrolet Malibu occurred just after 10 p.m. near the intersection of East Main Street and Snipsic Street, police said.

With the vehicle in poor shape after sustaining "significant front-end damage," the driver continued down East Main Street, but it eventually broke down, police said.

That's when the man exited the Malibu near 164 East Main St., fled the scene and tried to swim across Paper Mill Pond, police said.

As officers responded to the area, they saw the man go underwater, police said.

The Vernon Fire Department, Vernon EMS, Rockville Medic as well as the Tolland County Dive Team responded to assist in the rescue efforts and the man was located in the water and removed by divers police said.

Efforts were made to resuscitate the male, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

He was later identified at Julio Feliciano, 33, of Hartford.

Anyone with more information in regard to the crash can call Vernon Police at 860-
872-9126.