An Illinois police officer came to the rescue of a pregnant woman whose out-of-control car was hurtling towards a frozen lake after its brakes failed – and the heart-pounding scene was caught on camera.
The incident occurred around 2am on Monday when emergency services responded to a frantic call from a woman who had lost control of her car on a country road near Carterville. According to the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.
“I need help. The brakes won't stop. My car won't stop. The brakes won't work,” the distraught woman told the dispatcher.
“I'm 20 weeks pregnant. I can't die today.”
Police said dashcam footage shows Deputy Tyler Coffey park his patrol car in front of the woman's Chevrolet Malibu, which was traveling about 30 miles per hour on a dark road, and that the dispatcher stopped the car in front of the woman. It is said that he guided them to a safe location.
Less than a half-mile from Crab Orchard Lake, the woman's front bumper lightly collided with the back of the police car, then the man slammed on the brakes and slowly brought it to a stop.
“Had the deputy not been on scene or delayed in carrying out this operation, it is likely that the driver and vehicle would have been in the water by the time they arrived at the lake,” said Sheriff Jeff Diederich. spoke.
The woman and dog who were in the car, as well as other people involved, were not injured. CBS reportedHowever, both cars sustained minor damage.
Mr Coffey, who is now being hailed as a hero for his life-saving response, said the success of the rescue was a credit to everyone involved.
“I appreciate the comments, but from the dispatchers to the legislators, all of us are heroes,” he told the outlet.
“Everyone worked together to make this incident safe.”
