PAINESVILLE, Ohio — A 32-year-old man from Hamden, Ohio is facing charges after he allegedly fled from a traffic stop and then flipped his vehicle over in a pond where he had to be rescued by Painesville police officers.
Around 2:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, Painesville officers attempted to stop a 2010 Toyota Corolla for running a red light at the intersection of Richmond and Chester streets. The car failed to stop and then sped off down Renaissance Parkway before the driver lost control and crashed into a pond, authorities said.
Three officers—Ryan Cueni, Kevin Love and Cory Whitt, jumped in the water to help the occupants of the car. They were able to free the 33-year-old woman who was a passenger in the vehicle and the male driver moments before the car sank.
Both the driver and the passenger were looked over by the Painesville Fire Department and then taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The driver, who was wanted on an active warrant, was charged with failure to comply, red light violation, driving under suspension and not having a valid license. He later pleaded not guilty to the charges in Painesville Municipal Court and is being held in lieu of a $7,500 bond.
The Lake County Dive Team and Bob's Garage and Towing later pulled the vehicle from the water.
You can watch a video of the car being pulled from the pond in the player below:
