Man found dead in submerged car at boat ramp after hit-and-run, Virginia cops say

A 60-year-old man was found dead in a submerged car at a Virginia boat ramp, and now a South Carolina man has been arrested, authorities said.

Benjamin Sell, a 28-year-old from Newberry County, South Carolina, is charged with hit-and-run resulting in injury, according to court records and the Norfolk Police Department.

Officers said they got a call for a water rescue at the Haven Creek Boat Ramp at about 11:30 p.m. Sept. 6.

They found a car submerged in the water containing an unconscious man, who was pulled out of the vehicle and then pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Detectives said their investigation led them to believe Sell had been involved in a hit-and-run, and he was arrested Sept. 8 and is being held without bond.

The victim hasn’t been identified pending notification of his next of kin, but police said they are classifying the case as an “undetermined death.”

The medical examiner will determine the man’s cause of death. The investigation is ongoing.

McClatchy News reached out to the police department for more details on the incident, but a spokesperson could not offer more information beyond a Sept. 8 news release.

Norfolk is part of the Hampton Roads area on the southern coast of Virginia.

This story was originally published September 9, 2025 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Man found dead in submerged car at boat ramp after hit-and-run, Virginia cops say."