Watch Ill. Police Officer Save Woman from Car Sinking in Pond

A Collinsville police officer and a firefighter rescued a woman from a submerged vehicle Saturday afternoon.

The woman's vehicle was traveling eastbound in the 1600 block of Eastport Plaza Drive in Collinsville at about 1:30 p.m. when it veered off the road and into the retention pond, police said.

Collinsville Communications Center received multiple 9-1-1 calls about the woman, who was trapped inside her car as it sank to the bottom of the icy pond. Officers were on the scene within minutes, according to a police department release.

Officer Dylan Madron walked through the frigid waters to assist the lone driver. Collinsville Fire Department arrived on the scene shortly thereafter.

Jason Warner, a Collinsville firefighter and paramedic, jumped into the pond and was able to break the passenger window, open the door and pull the victim from the fully submerged vehicle, the release stated.

The woman, whose identity has not been released, was transported to an area hospital by Collinsville paramedics. Madron was also transported to an area hospital for treatment of minor injuries to his hands, which were cut by broken glass.

According to Maj. Brett Boerm of the Collinsville Police Department the victim is from Hazlewood, Missouri.

"Anytime a vehicle enters the water with someone inside, time is of the essence," said Collinsville Fire Chief John Bailot. "With water temperatures at freezing, the time clock is sped up exponentially. If it were not for the quick actions of Officer Madron and Firefighter Warner, the outcome of this incident, in my mind, would have been very different.

"The actions of Madron and Warner saved a life today."

The five-minute rescue was captured on video by Mark Norris Sr.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, according to the release.

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