Floating SUV — with driver trapped inside — sends Florida officer jumping into river

The sight of an SUV floating away in the Intracoastal Waterway ignited a dramatic rescue in southwest Florida, when a state wildlife officer jumped in and began swimming after the vehicle.

It happened just after sunset Saturday, Dec. 16, near the Albee Bridge in Sarasota County, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told McClatchy News on Jan. 16.

Witnesses reported a vehicle was seen driving off a seawall and landing in the water in Nokomis, about 70 miles south of Tampa.

“Officer Specialist Kelsey Dalton arrived at the location at approximately 6 p.m. and saw the vehicle floating northbound in the ICW,” FWC officials said.

“She dove into the water and swam to the vehicle. With the help of a good Samaritan, she was able to smash the window with her baton and pull the driver, a 69-year-old man, out through the window.”

Within seconds, the SUV began “to sink nose down” as water rushed in the broken window.

Once the man was safely ashore, Dalton grabbed her dive mask and swam back to the “partially submerged” vehicle to make sure no one else was inside. It was empty, officials said.

The driver, who is from Michigan, suffered “minor scratches and bruises,” but was not seriously hurt, FWC officials said. His identity was not released.

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.

“The quick response from the good Samaritan and Officer Specialist Dalton averted what could have been a tragic situation,” the FWC reported.

Dalton suffered cuts to both hands from broken glass during the rescue.

She has been with the FWC Division of Law Enforcement since 2016, officials said.

This story was originally published January 16, 2024 at 12:32 PM with the headline "Floating SUV — with driver trapped inside — sends Florida officer jumping into river."