Deputies, Good Samaritan credited for saving 2 from sinking car after crash in ravine
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office released body camera video from Feb. 22 around 1 a.m., showing the car submerged in ice water.
Deputies say a driver was speeding north on South Lima Street between East Easter Avenue and East Arapahoe Road in Centennial when it went off the roadway while turning through a curve, ending up upside-down in a hidden ravine. The department received an emergency notification from an iPhone and also a 911 call from a witness.
'We began checking the area for any signs of an accident and didn't see anything, didn't hear anything. Eventually, once the witness who actually called in, we were able to have him direct us to where he saw the vehicle leave the roadway,' said Deputy Derek Helveston.
Body camera video shows deputies cracking the ice to get into the water and prying open the door to get one woman out. South Metro Fire Rescue crews used the Jaws of Life to get the second woman out.
Deputies reported only a few inches of air between the tops of the women's heads and the water that was seeping into the car.
'After seeing the car… I had zero expectations of seeing anyone in there alive,' said Lt. Michael Reed. 'In my 25 years, that's the first time I've had to go swimming like that on duty.'
The two women, ages 22 and 24, survived with minor injuries. ACSO says both were allegedly highly intoxicated and the driver of the car is facing DUI charges.
'These girls, they were probably minutes away from being dead. With how cold it was in that water, it's amazing they survived the initial crash anyway with how far they traveled off the road. To end up upside down submerged in that car, they literally only had inches of air; they're extremely lucky. Don't drink and drive,' said Reed.
The full rescue video can be found on ACSO's social media pages.
'If you see something, say something because it could potentially save someone's life. Again, if it wasn't for the witness, it could have been a totally different scenario the next day,' said Helveston.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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