Family Rescued After Car Crashes into Orlando Retention Pond

On Thursday, December 10^th, a 44-year-old individual was driving a red Nissan Sentra, his two children in the vehicle with him, when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a retention pond. It was close to 7:30 at night when the 44-year-old and his children were traveling close to Lee Vista Boulevard and Vista East Parkway. It was dark, and so the trio were not able to anticipate the sudden appearance of an animal running across the roadway. In order to try and avoid striking the animal, the driver of the car jerked the wheel of the Sentra, a situation which caused him to lose control of the vehicle.

The car struck a curb and traveled over a median separating the two travel lanes of the roadway. At this point, according to the driver, they attempted to depress the car’s brake but, as can happen in situations such as this, they pressed down on the gas instead. Before being able to correct this mistake, the car crashed into a retention pond.

A 48-year-old individual was near to the scene and saw the entire crash unfold. As soon as the car hit the pond, this person ran to the vehicle and, while calling 911, reached through one of the windows and attempted to hold the head of one of the children, a 4-year-old, above the water. When emergency response crews arrived, the second child, a 12-year-old, had managed to free themselves from the vehicle. They remained in the care of the emergency crews while members of the Orlando Fire Department worked with members of the Orlando Police Department to free both the driver and the 4-year-old.

The reports describe a fairly harrowing ordeal as the crews tried to figure out how to reach the two inhabitants of the car even as the vehicle sank beneath them. Fortunately, they were able to climb through the trunk of the vehicle knocking down seats as they went, until they reached both the driver and the 4-year-old. After being rescued from the car, the two children were transported to Nemours Children’s Hospital where they were joined by a second parent, their mother. The father was transported from the area to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

While all three received medical treatment, the reports indicated that none of their injuries were life-threatening.

Sources:

• ‘Please help them:’ Video shows Orlando officers rescuing family from submerged vehicle

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.