Two dead after Charles River crash

A Saturday evening crash into the Charles River that killed two remained under investigation on Sunday.

Victims in the accident have been identified by police as Rhode Island residents Brian Arcand, 36, of North Smithfield and Rebecca Smith, 36, of Providence.

The two had been driving a 2010 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck on Nashua Street around 6:40 p.m. when the vehicle traveled through a red light and side-swiped a 2008 Acura MDX at Leverett Circle, police said. The truck crashed through a bridge guardrail on Charles River Dam Road (Route 28 near the Museum of Science) and landed in the river, police said.

The victims were later pronounced dead at Massachusetts General Hospital following underwater rescue efforts, according to police. A state police dive team scanned the area but did not find any additional victims, police said.

The passengers in the Acura identified only as two women, a 35-year-old from Milton and 36-year-old from New York, were not injured, police said.

The crash closed the bridge to traffic for several hours Saturday night as crews investigated the scene and hoisted the vehicle out of the water.

State police investigators were continuing an analysis of the crash through Sunday, according to a release.