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WATCH: Crews rescue 3 women after 2 cars slide into Indy retention pond

Posted at 8:33 PM, Nov 26, 2018
and last updated 2018-11-26 22:45:08-05

INDIANAPOLIS — People from two separate vehicles had to be rescued after their vehicles slid into an Indianapolis retention pond during the icy conditions Monday evening. 

Crews with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Indianapolis Fire Department were called to a retention pond near a shopping center at 86th Street and Township Line Road around 6:35 p.m. for a report of two vehicles that went into the water. 

READ | Icy roads cause multiple accidents across central Indiana

Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith says the drivers of both vehicles claimed to have hit a patch of ice on a bridge nearby and slid into the retention pond.

A 37-year-old woman was driving a Dodge Nitro with her three children, 17, 11 and 4-years-old. The driver told police they were heading to Applebees for dinner when they hit the ice and went into the pond. After rolling down the windows in the vehicle, the 11-year-old daughter was able to unbuckle herself and her young brother and they climbed out the rear windows. The mother and 17-year-old daughter were able to climb out the back window and onto the roof of the vehicle. 

Reith said an unidentified man stopped to help after seeing the women drive into the pond and jumped into the water toward the family. The man pulled the 4-year-old to safety and turned him over to medics at the scene. The mother and two daughters waited on top of their vehicle until they were rescued. 

A second vehicle driven by 50-year-old Karen Snyder hit the same patch of ice and went down the embankment into the pond.

"It was horrible," said Snyder. "Out of nowhere, yea I just hit the sheet of ice and I started to lose control and then I tried to correct and the next thing I know I was driving down into the pond."

Once she hit the water, Snyder was able to roll down the windows and swim to shore. 

"I was just so panicked and I am just praying and praying," said Snyder. "I just started honking the horn, honking the horn hoping someone would see me and help me and the next thing I know, I just leaned over and rolled down the window."

All five occupants of the two vehicles were safely on shore by 7 p.m. They were all treated on scene by Pike Township and IEMS Medics and released. 

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