A 67-year-old Florida man drowned after accidentally driving his vehicle off the Biloxi Fishing Pier near Palace Casino Resort in Mississippi. Paul Costello of Milton, FL, had just dropped his family at the casino and was searching for parking when the incident occurred around 9 p.m. Sunday.

The Harrison County Coroner reported that Costello likely mistook the 4,700-foot pier for a bridge. The two-lane vehicle-accessible structure has only one turnaround area before its end and, critically, lacked warning signs at the time of the accident.

Costello's family confirmed he had no known medical issues and was in good spirits before the tragedy. A toxicology report will determine if substances played a role in the incident.

The Biloxi Fishing Pier, formally known as Point Cadet Fishing Pier, opened in 2013 as a replacement for its predecessor destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Google Street View shows only a four-foot-high gray metal fence at the pier's end, with no stop or warning signs despite the 10 mph speed limit.

Emergency responders recovered Costello's vehicle using a crane-equipped tow truck. The pier, located near the Biloxi Bay Bridge/U.S. Highway 90, is a popular spot for both casino guests and local anglers, known particularly for its year-round redfish fishing opportunities.

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