NORTH LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Newly released bodycam video of a Christmas Eve rescue captured the tense moments when Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies dove into a canal to help a woman who had intentionally driven her car into the water.
Speaking with reporters on Thursday, the three deputies involved in the rescue said they were just doing their job when they raced into the cold water in the dark.
The incident happened on Dec. 24, when temperatures in South Florida dropped to the 40s, but that didn’t stop deputies from rushing to the rescue.
A witness described to the officers what they saw.
“All of a sudden, I saw them swerve off the road,” the witness said. “The wheels were like bumping in a weird manner, and then they splashed into the water.”
There was no hesitation from the deputies as they reached the bank of the water and immediately entered.
“We couldn’t see the car when we got there. We just saw a head that bobbed up and down, and she screamed for help,” said BSO Deputy Alex Ferraro.
The calls for help came right away.
“Yes, I see a car go into the canal in Margate,” a woman told a 911 dispatcher.
The deputies said there was little to no light to guide them as they went into the canal.
“We took off our gear, and we entered the water and just started swimming,” said BSO Deputy Sean Flynn.
The deputies rushed to the woman’s aid and pulled her to safety.
“Yo, is that the only one in there?” said a deputy.
“We got her,” said another deputy.
“Is there anybody else in the car?” the deputy said.
“No one else is in the car, she’s fine,” the deputy responded.
“Swimming out to save somebody, we don’t really get trained on that,” said Ferraro. “It was a natural instinct, and we were just doing our job.”
“This is just what we signed up for as deputies. We are proud to do our job,” said Flynn. “I’d say all three of us feel that way, and we definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without our entire team that was there.”
BSO believe that the woman intentionally drove her car into the canal.
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