Man Found in Pawtuxet River Was Suspect in Fatal Florida Accident

WARWICK, RI — The apparent suicide victim found by Warwick Police in the Pawtuxet River on Sept. 19 was the main suspect in a fatal car accident in Florida.

Carl Greenlund, 55, was identified by the Florida Highway Patrol as the driver of a Cadillac that struck the Pontiac driven by Dustin Demers, 27, of Yulee, Fla. at about 2 a.m. on Sept. 8, according to WJXT Channel 4.

Demers’s car had stopped in the northbound lane of Chester Road in Yulee when it was struck from behind by Greenlund’s vehicle, causing it to flip over. Demers died as a result of injuries suffered in the crash.

According to his obituary, Demers graduated from Yulee High School and worked as a ship fitter at Submarine Base Kings Bay.

“He loved people and people loved him. Dustin was known for his kindheartedness,”

his obituary reads. “He would literally and figuratively give somebody the shoes off his feet or the shirt off his back if they had a need.”

Greenlund was transported to the University of Florida Health Medical Center in Jacksonville following the crash.

It is unclear how Greenlund left the hospital and returned to Rhode Island before the WPD dive team found his body near the Warwick/Cranston line at about 1 p.m. on Sept. 19.

The dive team had been conducting routine body recovery training when they located Greenlund’s body underneath the Pawtuxet Bridge.