MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff's Office on Thursday released the two remaining names of the three people who died when a stolen car plunged into the St. Lucie River this week.
WPTV learned the bodies pulled from the river Wednesday were identified as Jerry Choisy, 19, and Geovany Alexis, 18.
The vehicle they were riding in plunged into the water near the intersection of Southwest Kanner Highway and Southeast Cove Road early Tuesday morning.
Martin County Sheriff William Snyder had said Tuesday that a 17-year-old's body, later identified as Marcus Griffin of Lake Worth, was found inside the submerged car shortly after it crashed.
Two others who were inside the vehicle — Enrique Hernandez, 18, and a 15-year-old boy, both from Boynton Beach, were found alive after the wreck. They were placed in custody but later released. Snyder said the teens could eventually face capital murder charges, saying the State Attorney's Office told them not to make any arrests yet.
Before the vehicle crashed, Snyder said his agency correctly followed their procedures to keep the public safe and secure.
"We try to avoid a chase, and the way we do that is by positioning our units where the offending vehicle doesn't see them, so they go from a distance and then we put an air unit, helicopter in the air which is exactly what we did," Snyder said.
WATCH: Martin County Sheriff's Office tracks stolen vehicle
In a situation like this, Snyder said his agency depends heavily on their helicopter to track the vehicle.
"They have stabilizers on their cameras," Snyder said. "They're able to track that vehicle. You see it on the video."
He said the stolen vehicle traveled westbound at triple digits on Cove Road and then right at Gaines Avenue east of Kanner Highway. That's where deputies deployed Stop Sticks.
Boynton Beach
2 mothers seek answers after stolen car plunges into river
"Our units deployed the Stop Sticks, and it was a short time after that the driver did not negotiate a left turn because he was going so fast and went straight ahead into the river," Snyder said.
The sheriff said the car traveled 11 miles in seven minutes when it would normally take 25 minutes.
Snyder said it's all a shame.
"It's such a danger to the public," Snyder said. "I don't even know how to describe how dangerous that is."
