Three people were rescued after a car crashed into frozen pond in suburban Chicago over the weekend, with the dramatic moments caught on camera as officers crawled across the ice in freezing cold temperatures before going in themselves while trying to keep the victims afloat.
The incident occurred about 1:35 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 in Glendale Heights, with police dispatched to the area of Burdette and Roberta Avenues for reports of a vehicle that had crashed into a pond. When officers arrived, they saw three people in the water surrounded by blocks of ice.
The victims were approximately 20-30 feet from the shoreline, police said, with the car submerged about 12 feet down. At the time, the air temperature was about 1 degree Fahrenheit, officials said.
Glenside Fire Protection District also responded to the scene and helped pull the victims to shore. Body camera video shows responders crawling on their hands and knees across ice blocks on the pond, with at least one officer going into the frigid water and dropping completely beneath the ice.
Responders could be seen bringing out shovels break thick blocks to help pull responders and victims out of the water and to shore.
All three victims were treated for minor injuries, police said. No officers were injured. According to officials, the driver of the car was charged with driving under the influence.
“Our officers are always ready and prepared for any situation,” Glendale Heights Police Chief George Pappas said in a release. “What could have been a tragic accident turned into heroic actions by Officers Stachura and Lomibao, and other responding officers on scene. I want to commend them for their selfless acts as they put their own lives at risk to rescue these three individuals.”
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