First responders save elderly driver from sinking car with seconds to spare

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (Gray News) - First responders in Florida dove into a canal and saved an elderly woman from her sinking car just moments before it disappeared beneath the water.

Body-worn cameras captured the dramatic May 1 rescue after an elderly woman drove into a canal near a Pompano Beach shopping plaza. Detective Robert Rutkowski and Deputy Zachary Kerin with the Broward Sheriff’s Office were first on scene alongside off-duty Fort Lauderdale Fire Capt. Keith Costa.

The first responders quickly realized time was running out as the car started sinking with the driver still trapped inside. They got in the water and swam toward the car.

Video shows Kerin shattered the passenger side window, and he and Rutkowski pulled the woman from the car. First responders on shore then helped get them all back to safety.

Moments after they reached shore, the woman’s car sank beneath the water.

“We probably had about a minute before the vehicle went underwater,” Rutkowski said.

Authorities say the incident is a “powerful reminder that training, teamwork and the willingness to act without hesitation can save lives.”

“The body worn camera shows an incredible rescue,” said Sheriff Dr. Gregory Tony in a news release. “It shows the difference between how tragedy and survival was measured in just seconds. The driver is alive today because of their quick actions.”