Investigators will not be filing charges against the man who drove his car into the downtown waterfront in Southport.SOUTHPORT, NC (WECT) - No charges will be filed against the man who drove his car into the downtown waterfront in Southport, according to the Southport Police Department.
Southport Police Chief Jerry Dove tells WECT.com that Joachim Hans Wallrath is out of the hospital and on his way to recovery.
WECT was the first to report that emergency responders were called to the downtown waterfront after locals witnessed a car drive into the water.
Investigators determined Wallrath was "lost and confused" when the accident happened. Dove says Wallrath was headed to an event in Pembroke, NC, when he got lost and ended up in Southport.
The chief says he was trying to set up his GPS to get back on track and that's when he drove his car off the seawall and into the water.
Wallrath, 77, is out of the hospital but is not driving at the moment.
No charges will be filed regarding the accident.
A number of witnesses jumped in when they noticed his car and managed to pull him out of the water. Dove will honor their heroic actions at the city's next meeting on Thursday.
Copyright 2013 WECT. All rights reserved.
