BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office is praising one of their reserve deputies and three civilians after they rescued an elderly man from a submerged vehicle Friday morning.
On Friday, Dec. 14, the deputy and three others saw a vehicle on its side in a ditch filled with water. One of the men broke the window in order to rescue the man. The driver, a 69-year-old man, was trapped under the airbag with his head underwater. The deputy and the three others lifted the man out of the water and carefully held his head up until emergency personnel could arrive.
“I’m so proud that not only was our volunteer deputy able to assist and save this man, but that three other men were willing to stop, wade into cold, dirty water, and help save a man they didn’t know. These Good Samaritans embody not only the spirit of the season, but also the heart of this community,” said Sheriff Sid Gautreaux.
The Baton Rouge Police Department is investigating the wreck. They say around 10:20 a.m. in the 1400 block of N Airway, the vehicle crossed the median, became airborne, and landed in the ditch. Investigators think some sort of medical episode caused the wreck. One of the rescuers cut his hand while breaking the vehicle’s window. He was treated on scene.
Below is audio of the reserve deputy radioing for help, as well as the EMS dispatch call.
