1 person detained, another presumed drowned after high-speed chase ends in canal

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Firefighters and law enforcement officers in rescue boats search the water just east of the Bennetts Corners Road bridge in Murray this evening.

Law enforcement detained one person who fled on foot north of the canal. Another person is presumed to be drown and first responders are attempting to recover the body.

The two fled in a U-Haul truck in the chase that went from Brockport to this spot on the canal between Bennetts Corners and the Monroe-Orleans Countyline roads.

There are rescue boats from Murray, Brockport and Kendall fire companies and the marine boat from Orleans County Sheriff’s Office searching for the drowned person. The Monroe County Dive Team and an underwater drone also have been deployed.

There were also K9 teams and drones from the Orleans and Monroe County Sheriff’s Departments that searched for the person who fled the scene.

UPDATE at 6:17 a.m.: WHAM in Rochester reports the body of the passenger was recovered last night.

The two men were allegedly stealing items from the Walgreens on Main Street in Brockport and loading the items into the U-Haul. After a high-speed chase with law enforcement, the driver of the U-Haul intentionally drove the U-Haul into the canal, and then swam across the canal, WHAM reported.

The passenger was unable to swim and struggled to stay afloat and went underwater, WHAM reported. The passenger’s body was recovered by the dive team from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office will be working with Orleans County District Attorney Susan Howard on determining charges in the case, WHAM reported.