Landscaper helps save driver trapped in submerged vehicle in Naperville

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — A bystander helped save the life of a driver whose vehicle veered off the road and into a pond in Naperville.

Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, the Plainfield Fire Protection District, along with the Naperville Fire Department, responded to a report of a vehicle submerged in a pond near the intersection of Royal Worlington Drive and Route 59 in Naperville.

Upon arrival, Plainfield fire crews discovered the car partially submerged in water with the driver still inside.

According to a release from the fire chief, a landscaper working nearby entered the water to assist the driver, who was unable to swim. The landscaper held the driver’s head above water until emergency responders arrived to the scene.

Firefighters extricated the driver from the vehicle and provided on-scene medical evaluation. Officials said both the driver and landscaper declined transport to the hospital.

According to the release, the incident was the result of a traffic accident that caused the vehicle to veer of the roadway and into the pond.

“The Plainfield Fire Protection District commends the quick actions of the bystander, whose efforts played a vital role in ensuring the driver’s safety prior to the arrival of emergency personnel,” the release said.