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or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at into History.com. It's late on July 18th, 1969 near Chappiquitic, a scenic dark winding road through the trees. In the front seat next to him is Mary Joe

Kephekney. She's a talented speechwriter, nine years older than Ted, charming and

beautiful. They've just come from a party and a remote conage. Ted told their friends that he was taking Mary Joe to catch the ferry back to the hotel where they're both staying.

But that's not where he's headed.

Ted doesn't know Chappiquitic well and rarely drives himself.

And tonight for some reason he turns onto a dirt road leading to Dyke Bridge, a narrow

wooden crossing over a tidal channel.

It's not the way to the ferry, and the rickety structure isn't the kind of thing anyone should

be driving on at night, especially not as fast as Ted is going.

There aren't any lights, and there are no guardrails on the bridge

either. But by the time Ted realizes he's made a mistake, it's too late. He loses control of the

car and his front tires launch out into the open air.

The Oldsmobile catapults into the channel below and flips upside down.

Fridget brackish water rushes into the car through the

shattered windshield. Ted panics as Mary Joe flails next to him and the water rises

to his neck. Ted takes a deep breath knowing it might be his last and the next few seconds or a

blur. He kicks and pushes on the car door with all his might until it finally opens. He so turned around he's not sure which way is up, but somehow he gets out and away from the coal.

The next thing he knows he's made it to the surface. He screams out for Mary Joe, but there's no answer.

Instead, just stillness. And in the dark water below, he can see the headlights of his Oldsmobile

...