A deputy in Illinois sprang into action to save a pregnant woman as her car sped uncontrollably towards a freezing lake after the brakes failed, with the dramatic rescue caught on video.
Emergency services responded to a call early Monday morning from a woman who lost control of her vehicle on a rural road near Carterville, as reported by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.
“I need help. My brakes won’t stop. My car won’t stop. My brakes aren’t working,” the distraught woman told dispatchers.
“I’m 20 weeks pregnant. I cannot die today.”
A dispatcher directed the woman to safety while dashcam footage captured Deputy Tyler Coffey positioning his patrol car in front of her Chevy Malibu, which was moving at approximately 30 miles per hour on the dimly lit road, according to police reports.
He applied the brakes, gradually stopping the woman’s car after her front bumper lightly tapped the back of the patrol car, just under half a mile from Crab Orchard Lake.
“Had the Deputy not been on scene or delayed performing this maneuver the driver and vehicle would have likely gone into the water upon reaching the lake,” Sheriff Jeff Diederich said.
According to CBS, the woman, her dog who was in the car with her, and the deputies were all safe, although both vehicles suffered minor damage.
Coffey, now recognized as a hero for his quick actions, praised all those who contributed to the successful rescue.
“I appreciate the comments, but we’re all heroes – everybody from the dispatchers down to the deputies,” he told the outlet.
“Everybody worked together and made this a safe incident.”
