Florida man jumps into canal to rescue woman from sinking vehicle

MIAMI — A Florida man jumped into a canal to pull a woman out of a vehicle that had fallen into the water early Saturday, authorities said.

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Police pulled a man from the submerged SUV after the woman was taken to safety, WSVN reported.

Roberto Gonzalez witnessed the car falling into the canal in northwest Miami-Dade County and reacted quickly.

“There were two people in the car,” Gonzalez told reporters. “The woman was calling 911 and told me she could not swim.

“I left my stuff, went in the water and I was able to pull the woman out. But when I brought her to the shore and looked back, I realized the car had completely submerged underwater and the man was still inside.”

Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene within eight minutes after receiving the 911 call, WFOR reported.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Lt. Omar Vega said divers were able to pull the male victim from the canal, the television station reported.

“When we arrived here, there were victims on the embankment. A good Samaritan stopped and pulled the first victim out,” Vega told WSVN. “Within eight minutes of the call, we had the divers in the water, and they pulled a second victim out, who went to a local hospital.”

The man was in critical condition while the woman was stable, WPLG reported.

Gonzalez said he was glad to help.

“I just looked at the woman and it reminded me of my mother,” Gonzalez told reporters. “I just had to save her either way.”

Cox Media Group