Driver charged with DWI after car plunges off Pier 21 in Galveston, no others found in car

GALVESTON – A crash at Galveston’s Pier 21 early Sunday morning resulted in the driver being charged with DWI, with no other occupants found in the submerged vehicle.

In the early Sunday morning hours, a vehicle managed to run off Galveston’s Pier 21 and became submerged in the Galveston harbor, landing in approximately 30 feet of water.

One occupant, 21-year-old Caleb Joseph Hayes of Dickinson, identified as the driver, managed to escape the vehicle and was transported via EMS to UTMB Health Galveston. Hayes has since been medically cleared by UTMB and has been charged with driving while intoxicated.

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It was initially reported that three other individuals were in the car with Hayes. Since then, police have managed to locate all of the passengers the driver alleged were in the car at the time of the incident. All of them are safe and well, and it appears they were not in the vehicle at the time.

The scene, located at the intersection of 21st Street and Harborside Drive, is serviced by Galveston Port Police, who requested assistance from the Galveston Police Department. The Galveston Dive Team was activated to search for the car at the bottom of the harbor, with the assistance of an underwater scanner from Port Police.

The United States Coast Guard also assisted police in the search for the remaining passengers, utilizing boats and a helicopter. Later in the morning, the submerged vehicle was located and brought to the surface at approximately 8:30 a.m. At that time, no other occupants were found inside the vehicle.

Texas Parks and Wildlife was asked to assist with technology that aids in locating any possible victims that may be below the surface. Their efforts were also unable to locate any other passengers.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.