A BMW sedan went flying down Lyonsdale Road Thursday night, and within seconds, two young lives were gone. The car shot off the roadway, flipped over, and sank straight into the Moose River, leaving rescuers racing against time in the dark.
Behind the wheel was Jeremiah Kim, just 26 years old and from Utica. Deputies say Kim was headed east on Lyonsdale Road, pushing the BMW well past a safe speed, when he lost control on the stretch of road that cuts through the Town of Lyonsdale.
Riding next to him was Brody Webster, only 18 and from Herkimer. The two were headed somewhere together that night, never imagining it would be their last ride.
The crash happened shortly after 7 p.m. Passers-by didn’t hesitate. They jumped in to help, and first responders weren’t far behind, working fast to pull both young men from the submerged car and start lifesaving efforts on the spot. It wasn’t enough. Kim died on the way to Lewis County General Hospital. Webster didn’t make it either.
Strangely, theirs wasn’t the only car that went off Lyonsdale Road that night. A second vehicle, driven by 21-year-old Christ Poh, also left the roadway, slammed into a tree, and ended up partly submerged not far away. Poh managed to climb out on his own and is now being treated for his injuries at Lewis County General. Whether the two crashes were connected is still anyone’s guess. Deputies haven’t said.
By the time the dust settled, Lyonsdale Road looked like a disaster zone. State Police rolled in, along with volunteer firefighters from seven different departments, the Lewis County Dive Team, and Search and Rescue crews, all working the same dark stretch of road at the same time.
Back home in Utica and Herkimer, the news hit hard. Families are left picking up the pieces, and a community is left asking how one night, one road, and one fast car could take so much so fast. The investigation into exactly what happened is still wide open. For now, all anyone can do is hold onto the memory of two young men who left way too soon, and pray their families find some peace in the days ahead.
