Dan Kroeger was driving to work with his girlfriend Monday morning when another vehicle, two cars ahead of him, swerved off the road and slammed through a fence. All of a sudden, a regular morning commute turned into an emergency situation.
After going through the fence, the car ended up in a pool. The 57-year-old driver was inside; the car started filling up with water.
By this time, Kroeger had pulled over and he and another bystander were ready to jump into action.
Kroeger says they were worried about the car going into the deep end. They could see water starting to reach the driver’s chest.
Kroeger says he grabbed a tire iron from the trunk of his own car and broke the rear passenger window. They were able to unlock the door, get his seatbelt off and pull him out. The driver was conscious but not speaking.
The driver was treated for hypothermia. Paramedics suspect he may have had a diabetic shock or other medical condition right before swerving off the road.
Paramedics say the man was in stable condition when brought to hospital.
Ottawa Fire Service spokesperson Marc Messier says the quick action by Kroeger and another bystander may have saved the man's life.
