Fatality After Crash And Water Rescue Operation

First responders conducted a water rescue on Constitution Drive Thursday morning in Chattanooga. The call came out at 10 AM on 10/12/23 after 911 received reports that a car was submerged in a large residential man-made pond behind homes in the Heritage Landing neighborhood. It appeared that one of the elderly residents drove through the wall of her garage and into the pond. Construction workers in the area tried to get the woman out of her sinking car, but they were weighed down by their tool belts in the deep water. Multiple attempts were made to free the victim. When firefighters arrived, the vehicle was completely underwater and they worked to stabilize the car. Divers made entry and extricated the patient. She was transported to the hospital. Crews then removed the car from the water. Squad 1, Ladder 1, Engine 12, CFD Safety Chief and Battalion 3 Green Shift responded, along with HCEMS, CPD, Dallas Bay Fire & Rescue and Hamilton County STARS.

Subsequent press release from Chattanooga Police: On October 12, 2023 at 9:58 a.m, Chattanooga Police and other agencies responded to the 1500 block of Heritage Landing Drive for a traffic crash and water rescue. Responders were advised a vehicle was in a pond after crashing through a wall of a residence. When officers arrived, the vehicle was already submerged in the water. Chattanooga Fire, Hamilton County EMS, Dallas Bay Fire & Rescue, and Hamilton County Special Tactics and Rescue Service ("STARS") responded to the scene to assist with the water rescue operation. Chattanooga Fire worked to stabilize the vehicle. STARS divers extracted the 84-year-old woman from the vehicle and Hamilton County EMS transported her to a local hospital. She died at the hospital. The preliminary traffic crash investigation indicates the driver placed the vehicle in drive then traveled through a garage wall and approximately 35 feet to a pond behind the residence. The vehicle began to take on water and drift towards the center of the pond. Bystanders attempted to make it to the vehicle in an attempt to rescue the victim, but were unable to successfully extract her. After she was extracted from the vehicle by STARS, the vehicle was removed from the pond. CPD's Traffic Unit will continue to investigate the circumstances of this incident.

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