Bystander helps rescue driver in Naperville after car goes into pond

A landscaper helped rescue a driver whose vehicle was submerged in a pond in Naperville.

About 10 a.m. Wednesday, emergency crews responded to a report of a vehicle submerged in a pond near the intersection of Royal Worlington Drive and Illinois Route 59.

The crew discovered the vehicle was partially submerged in about six feet of water with the driver still inside, according to a statement provided by Mark Reynolds, deputy chief of the Plainfield Fire Protection District.

A landscaper who was working nearby had witnessed the vehicle enter the pond and immediately “jumped into action,” fire officials said.

“The bystander entered the water and assisted the driver – who was unable to swim – by holding their head above water until emergency responders arrived,” fire officials said.

Firefighters extricated the driver from the vehicle and provided on-scene medical evaluation and care, fire officials said.

The vehicle ended up in the pond because of a traffic accident that caused it to veer off the roadway, fire officials said.

“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,” fire officials said.