VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Police have confirmed the identity of the man who drove off the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier but won't share it publicly due to the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the man was a 57-year-old from Virginia Beach and was the same person reported missing by family members, the Virginia Beach Police Department said.
According to police, there was no evidence of criminality before the man drove off the pier.
"While we cannot presume to fully know what motivated this individual’s actions, they do appear to have been deliberate," the Virginia Beach Police Department wrote in a news release.
The crash happened in the early morning hours of Jan. 27 and the vehicle was recovered from the Atlantic Ocean nearly a week later, on Feb. 2. On that day, officials confirmed the vehicle was a red Nissan Kicks and had one person inside.
In the days that followed the crash, recovery efforts were hampered by poor water conditions. To help with recovery, the Portsmouth-based private contractor Crofton Industries stepped in, bringing a salvage barge along with professional salvage divers to try to recover the vehicle.
On Feb. 2, Crofton Industries arrived at the pier with a barge, crane, and dive team around 6:15 a.m. Using sonar technology, the vehicle's location was confirmed and around 9 a.m., a diver went down to secure the vehicle. The vehicle was successfully pulled out and placed on the barge by 9:20 a.m., the Virginia Beach Police Department said.
"The safety of those involved in this recovery operation, maintaining integrity of evidence, and providing some semblance of closure and peace to the decedent’s family have been the top priorities of this operation," the Virginia Beach Police Department wrote.
"We would like to thank all partners, including Crofton Industries, the Virginia Beach Fire Department, and the Chesapeake Fire Department for their assistance in this tragic incident."
Due to the circumstances of the incident, the Virginia Beach Police Department shared a list of mental health organizations, support groups, and resources: