INDIANAPOLIS — A 21-year-old man died Saturday morning after he drove his car into a retention pond on the northeast side.
Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith said in a news release firefighters were dispatched at 8:09 a.m. to East 56th Street and Allisonville Road after a caller reported seeing a car crash into a retention pond with the driver still inside.
Reith said a witness told IFD and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigators he was sitting in his vehicle at a stoplight when a red car drove up behind him at a high rate of speed and rear-ended his vehicle.
The witness said the driver of the red car continued to bump his car and spin his tires as if he was trying to push the witnesses' car through the intersection.
"The man put his car in park and began to get out of his vehicle to confront the driver who rear-ended him," Reith said.
Reith said the driver of the red car sped around the witnesses' car, drove through the intersection and continued north on Allisonville Road for about 200 yards.
He then veered right, hit a street sign and left the roadway. The man drove at an angle for about 150 yards down the embankment and into a retention pond.
"Once it hit the water, it stayed afloat and drifted about 150 feet north of where it entered the water," Reith said. "The man involved in the portion of the incident at the intersection called 911."
Reith said a bystander, Jerome Becraft, 47, witnessed the man's car enter the water and stopped his vehicle. Becraft jumped into the water, swam to the car and made eye contact with the driver, who was still alert.
"As Jerome encouraged the man to evacuate, Jerome says the man, popped open the trunk and with hope, Jerome thought he was going to exit the vehicle. No go. The driver was non- compliant," Reith said.
Firefighters and the IFD EMS Duty Officer arrived at 8:13 a.m. A crew made their way down to the pond where the car still visible, Reith said.
"Even after making eye and verbal contact, the man inside was still alert and non-compliant," Reith said. "Despite both firefighters sustaining slight injuries as they continued to try and reach the man, he was unable or unwilling to help himself evacuate. The car fully submerged."
Divers arrived at 8:20 a.m. and reached the man, who was unconscious and still belted into his seat.
He was removed from the car within two minutes and brought to the surface where CPR was performed. The man was transported to Eskenazi Hospital and pronounced dead at 9 a.m.
Reith said it is not known if he suffered a medical emergency before driving into the pond.
IMPD is investigating the crash.
