Police save pregnant Southern Illinois woman from driving runaway car into a lake
Williams County Deputies saved a pregnant woman from driving into a lake after her car brakes and accelerator stopped working.
by Ryan Johnston
Dec 10, 2024
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Ill. (WTVO) — Williams County Deputies saved a pregnant woman from driving into a lake after her car brakes and accelerator stopped working.
Early Monday morning, 911 dispatchers received a call from a driver who said she could not stop her car, according to WLS.
“I need help. My brakes won’t stop. My car won’t stop. My brakes aren’t working,” the woman told dispatchers. She told the dispatcher, “I’m 20 weeks pregnant. I cannot die today.”
The car was going 30 mph on a rural road heading for a lake when the dispatcher steered her in the right direction, according to CBS.
“Turn right at the next road, okay?” a dispatcher said. “If you don’t turn, you’re gonna go into a lake.”
Deputies were able to use a rolling roadblock maneuver to get in front of the runaway vehicle.
The woman’s car crashed into the squad car but she, her dog and deputies were not injured.
When Deputy Tyler Coffey was asked about being a hero, he said, “I’ve been getting that a lot. I appreciate the comments, but we’re all heroes—everybody from the dispatchers down to the deputies. Everybody worked together and made this a safe incident.”
