POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Newly released body camera video captured the moment Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies jumping into action when a woman was stuck in a sinking car.
Officials received the report of a driver who drove their car into a body of water in the area of the 2600 block of South Palm Aire Drive in Pompano Beach on May 1.
Multiple agencies, including Pompano Beach Fire Rescue and an off-duty Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue captain, responded to the scene.
BSO deputies Robert Rutkowski and Zachary Kerin along with Fort Lauderdale Fire Captain Keith Costa arrived first and quickly noticed time was running out to save the elderly woman inside.
“Arrived on scene, took my vest and gun belt off. I grabbed a floating device from Deputy Charles who had already had it ready to go and jumped in the water,” said Rutkowski in a social media video posted by BSO.
As the vehicle began taking on water, officials jumped into the canal to reach the trapped driver.
“So took my clothes off, jumped in the water, followed him. Another deputy came in with me and broke the window, and then we were able to get the elderly female out of the vehicle and the swimmer back to shore,” said Costa.
Video posted by BSO shows the deputies pulling the victim from the car and connecting her to the rope. Deputies on land pulled her out of the water with help from the deputies in the water.
“Deputies did a great job pulling us in on the floatation device. They had it tied to the rope so we got her out. We probably had about a minute before the vehicle went under water,” said Rutkowski.
Seconds after she the elderly victim was safe, video shows her car sinking below the surface.
Kerin sustained minor injuries to his hand while breaking the car’s window during the rescue. Video shows other deputies bandaging the injured fingers.
BSO credits quick actions and teamwork in saving the life of the driver.
“The deputies relied on their training. They trusted one another and acted without hesitation,” said Rutkowski.
While it’s unclear why exactly the elderly driver went into the lake, reports at the time said she mistook the brake for the gas and drove straight through the fence.
Since the incident, crews have fixed the broken fence in the area.
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