MUNCIE, Ind. A young woman is recovering after prompt action by three Muncie police officers who rescued her from a sinking vehicle in the White River.
The incident happened around 1:20 pm on Sunday. The call initially came around West Main and Jackson Streets, but the vehicle later moved south of White River Boulevard and Jackson Street. Police said this is because the current was pulling their vehicle into the river.
In the 911 call, you can hear the 18-year-old driver saying, “I’m in White River and the doors to my car won’t open. I don’t know what happened.”
The dispatcher was on the phone with her for more than six minutes, trying to keep her calm and find a way out.
At one point, the young woman said, “It’s so cold, and it’s coming up to my neck. It’s not stopping.”
Muncie police officer Casey Bell was the first to jump into the water. He said he took off his gear and quickly rushed to help.
“I tried to open the driver’s side door and the rear driver’s side didn’t open,” Bell said.
Behind him was Sergeant James Lennox. Bell asked him for his baton and, without hesitation, Lennox said he jumped into the water with his gear to hand it to him. Bell then used it to shatter the window.
“It was probably four or five hits and in the end I got a hole big enough to stick my hand in, but when I stuck my hand, it still wasn’t opening from the inside. There was something wrong with the door. So, I opened the window. K broke all the glasses and went inside to see if he was wearing a seat belt and thankfully he didn’t. So, I was able to get him out the window,” Bell said.
Lennox was also in the water at the time. He said the current was so strong, at one point his body was sideways, as he held.
“It took your breath away as you landed in the water. It was cold. It came up to my neck, and I was basically horizontal, so, it was going down my vest,” Lennox said.
When he looked into the car, he said he thought he had seen a passenger. In the body camera footage, Lennox said, “Is there anyone there? I saw a head.”
Since Lennox didn’t have his baton, he said he tried to use a pocketknife to break the window, but it didn’t break.
“I saw something floating near my head and it looked like someone was trying to get out,” Lennox said.
By then, the car was almost underwater, and it was difficult to see.
Since Lennox had his gear, Sgt. Gregory Skaggs hurriedly got into the car to check on the others.
“I was thinking we’d lose someone if we didn’t do something quickly,” Skaggs said. “I told Officer Bell, ‘Hold my legs. I’m going back to see if I can find anyone.'”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfV52Je3L0c
Thankfully no one else was in the car. Lennox said he stayed until a tow truck came to haul him out.
“I didn’t leave until they drove that car out there and there was no one there. I made sure,” Lennox said.
That night was a busy night for the department, with officers dispatched to a series of events including a shooting, armed robbery and a major battle involving about 200 men. Skaggs said that as much as he appreciated his heroic support, many other officers that night also helped keep the community safe.
The officers also credit the dispatcher for keeping calm and helping the girl until help arrives.
After being rescued, the young woman was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.