NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Western New York community is mourning the loss of Kurt and Monica Villani who both died in Wednesday's car crash at the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls.
"I feel for the family. This is horrible," Niagara Falls Police Superintendent John Faso said in a phone call, "We're just feeling for them and keep them in our thoughts and prayers."
SEE: Rainbow Bridge crash victims identified as Grand Island couple
Faso said the 53-year-old husband and wife from Grand Island were widely known as the owners of Gui's Lumber and for their generosity. In 2014, 7 News interviewed Kurt and his son who were donating turkeys during a Rock-Out Hunger event.
"They've had an impact on this community," Faso said.
Niagara Falls police is focusing its efforts on what Faso said will be an "extremely difficult" investigation.
"My crash management unit is very well trained but it's a daunting task and as I said they're going to take their time they're going to do a thorough investigation," he said.
Faso said he was working when he heard on his police radio that a car traveling at a high speed crashed into a barrier at the bridge before going airborne and bursting into flames.
"It was surreal," he said.
Pieces of the car were scattered across 14 booths and all that was left of it was its engine. Faso said from his understanding the couple's Bentley has a black box but it hasn't been located.
"When we say black box we think of aviation and we think of a black box on an airplane. With vehicles, it's not quite the same, so they're configured a little different which makes it more of a challenge," he explained.
7 News reached out to Bentley Motors about the crash and was told authorities have contacted the car company and that there have been no recalls regarding accelerator issues connected to the car involved in the incident.
Meantime, Faso said investigators are focusing their efforts on determining what caused the crash and said he hopes people do not believe speculation spreading on social media.
"Right now you have a family that's in mourning and that doesn't do anything to help the situation," he said.
