VIDEO: Volusia deputies, firefighters, witnesses push SUV over to rescue woman in canal

Driver ‘fighting for her life’ in critical condition, deputies say

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday shared body-worn camera video of a driver being rescued by first responders and witnesses after crashing into a canal Tuesday.

The SUV was traveling eastbound and left the roadway at around 12:18 p.m. in the 600 block of Maytown Road in Oak Hill, where it overturned in the water and left the 57-year-old woman submerged, deputies said.

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In the video, Volusia County deputies and firefighters can be seen working with witnesses to push the vehicle upright, allowing firefighters to rescue the Oak Hill woman and bring her to dry land.

“My wife is looking out the window and said ‘hey there’s a car down in that ditch.’ And that’s when we pulled over,” said Andy Wasko, who helped to push the SUV up.

“The gentleman that was with me, he was right in front of the passenger door, and he could look in and said there’s somebody in there,” Wasko said. “And that’s when we really went to work.”

[VIDEO: Good Samaritan talks about effort to save woman in SUV that went off the road]

The woman was unconscious but still had a pulse before being taken to the hospital in critical condition, deputies said. According to the sheriff’s office, the woman remains in critical condition and was “fighting for her life” as of Wednesday.

On a 911 call provided by Volusia deputies, witnesses can be heard reacting in shock upon finding the woman inside the SUV. Multiple people worked to turn the vehicle upright and were recorded chanting “one, two, three, push,” while the dispatcher reminded the caller multiple times to stay on the phone instead of jumping into the water to help.

[CONTENT WARNING, STRONG LANGUAGE IN CALL BELOW]

On Friday, the Florida Highway Patrol announced that the woman died in the hospital.

This crash remains under investigation.


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About the Authors:

Brandon, a UCF grad, joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. Before joining News 6, Brandon worked at WDBO.

Catherine, born and raised in Central Florida, joined News 6 in April 2022.

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