Ronald Register, 68, injured, taken to hospital, after driving his car into a retention pond near a Walmart in Palatka.

Modified Date: 
Wed, 09/24/2014 - 11:28am
Accident Date: 
Sunday, March 30, 2014

Good Samaritans rescue man from car in pond.

When a man accidentally drove his car into a retention pond by the Walmart on Monday afternoon, two men jumped into the water and swam to the sinking vehicle. According to the Palatka Police Department, they freed the 68-year-old driver from his seat belt, got him out of the vehicle and pulled him to shore.

When a man accidentally drove his car into a retention pond by the Walmart on Monday afternoon, two men jumped into the water and swam to the sinking vehicle. According to the Palatka Police Department, they freed the 68-year-old driver from his seat belt, got him out of the vehicle and pulled him to shore.

Witnesses said a 2002 Mercury in the parking lot on U.S. 19 about 1 p.m. slowed, then accelerated quickly, then slowed, then accelerated quickly again, went over a church, through a fence and into the pond -- making it about 25 feet into the water before it started taking on water.

Bystanders alerted store personnel and emergency services. Police say Curtis Smith, 28, and at least one other man ran into the pond and swam to the vehicle, finding the driver, later identified as Ronald Register, trapped and in danger of drowning.

They freed him and brought him to the shore and waited for emergency personnel to arrive.

Register, of Hawthorne, was transported to the Putnam Community Medical Center, which police say he is believed to be in good condition.

The accident remains under investigation by Palatka police.

Type: Car Accident
People Involved: 
Ronald Register
Curtis Smith
Roadway: 
U.S. 19

Comments

This would be all over the place about this story. Wow. Oh and I'm 29. Lol

Add new comment

To prevent automated s-p-a-m submissions leave this field empty.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
5 + 10 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.