Crime & Safety
Police Plunge Into Water To Pull Submerged Couple From Sinking Car In Morris County: Video
Watch bodycam videos of police safely rescuing two people from a vehicle submerged in a retention pond in Pequannock Township on April 2.
![On April 2, police safely rescued two people from a vehicle submerged in a retention pond in Pequannock Township, bodycam video shows.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/25811147/20230420/125932/styles/patch_image/public/car-2___20125024631.jpg)
PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP, NJ — Body cam footage captured the rescue of two submerged Morris County residents from their sinking vehicle by the Pequannock Township Police Department on April 2. (See the video below)
The driver of the vehicle had gone into a retention pond at Cedar Crest Senior Living Community, according to Pequannock Township Police.
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Police were able to quickly force open the vehicle doors and remove both victims from the water, while Ptl. Parigi used a flotation device to pull the driver and passenger to shore.
Officers also had help from Cedar Crest Security, the Pequannock First Aid and Rescue Squad (FAS), and the Pequannock Fire Department.
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"Due to the quick actions of Sgt. James Dericks, Ptl. Brian Parigi and Ptl. Stephen Knatz, the victims were pulled to safety, narrowly avoiding a horrific tragedy. Sgt. Dericks and Ptl. Knatz entered the water to find the male driver with his face barely above water and the female passenger fully submerged," Capt. Robert Brown told Patch.
The police department released video of the scene on April 2, including video from the officer's body-worn camera, which was surprisingly in good shape after being submerged in water, according to the department.
Both the driver and the passenger, who are not being identified for privacy reasons, refused medical treatment at the scene.
"The Pequannock Police Department and Chief Daniel Comune are extremely proud of these officers, as without their quick and courageous actions, both victims may have certainly drowned," Brown said.
You can watch the full rescue below.
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