JACKSON COUNTY, Indiana — An Indiana woman was trapped in her car which was almost completely submerged when an off-duty deputy dove into the flood waters and got her out.
On Saturday at about 5:30 p.m., the Jackson County Sheriff's Department 911 Center received a 911 call from a woman, saying she was trapped in her vehicle which was stuck in flood waters, according to a news release.
The woman, later identified as Jennifer Colvin of North Vernon, was trapped in her vehicle with water rushing in at an alarming rate, officials said.
Deputy Mark Holt, who was off duty at the time, was in the area of the distress call at the time of the dispatch and responded to the scene. He said he was there in less than four minutes from when the dispatch first went out.
Once at the scene, Deputy Holt found the 2019 Honda CRV on the flooded road with water rising over the hood of the vehicle and Colvin still trapped inside with water up to her neck.
Without hesitation, Deputy Holt entered the water and was able to get Colvin out of the vehicle and placed in his patrol vehicle to get her warm.
"I jumped out of my vehicle, took my coat off, took my keys out of my pocket, laid my phone on the hood, and went in the water," Holt said. "Heard her banging on the window, screaming, so I jumped in."
He said while trying to get her out of the vehicle, he broke the glass breaker trying to break her window. When that didn't work he tried to punch the window out; eventually he pulled on the door and it budged just enough for the current to catch it and open the vehicle.
Colvin was then transported to Schneck Medical Center where she was treated for possible hypothermia.
"Deputy Holt's quick response kept this incident from being a lot worse," Sheriff Meyer said.
Holt has been on the force since 2012 and he said this was his fourth water rescue.
Deputy Holt was assisted by Deputies Kevin Settle, Aaron Wilkins, Reserve Deputy Michael Maxie, Crothersville Assistant Chief Jonathon Tabor and Crothersville Reserve Deputy Derek Minton. Vernon Township Fire Department also responded to the scene.
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