KEY WEST, Fla. – Three Key West police officers are recounting the moments they dove into the water to rescue a driver.
The crash happened last month after a 911 caller reported seeing a car in the ocean at Simonton Beach.
Officers Elam Thornbrugh, Cameron Ua, and Corey Vanderhoof were among the first to respond.
“We didn’t see anybody outside the vehicle, so my initial instinct was just to get my vest off, get my duty belt off, and just get in the water,” Ua said.
Ua, a retired Special Forces and trained rescue diver, said he realized the driver was trapped inside.
Thornbrugh helped retrieve a window punch while Ua held his breath to go down with the car as it sunk.
“I see his head, dive down, grab him by the shoulders and pull him out,” Thornbrugh said.
The trio eventually swam the man to shore.
“He seemed pretty frantic. I didn’t even think he was able to register what actually happened,” Vanderhoof said.
According to police, the driver told officers that he was unfamiliar with the area and had been following another car.
He said when that car made a turn, he continued straight into the water.
“I was just glad he was safe,” Ua said. “I was able to save a life.”
“It was a great team effort and I’m glad we were able to get the guy out of the car and save his life,” said Vanderhoof.