Photo: Courtesy of the Dartmouth Police Department.
DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — It was quite the aquatic feat Dartmouth Police Officers pulled late Friday night, as officials swam around a hundred feet out into Lake Noquochoke to rescue two car passengers trapped in the middle.
The Dartmouth Police Department says they responded to the area of 950 State Road on a report that a vehicle was submerged in the lake. Arriving officers confirmed that report and discovered that a 2016 Ford Focus was six to seven feet deep in the water.
The two occupants of the vehicle were trapped inside, and officers Justin Amaral, Joseph Hilchey, and Westport Police Officer Jeremy Dellechese did not hesitate to remove their gear and jump into the water. According to the DPD, the officers swam a hundred feet to reach the vehicle.
Officers were able to get the two passengers out and bring them to the shoreline with the help of arriving emergency personnel. The two occupants and one of the officers were brought to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford to be treated for minor injuries and exposure.
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Officials say that the investigation is ongoing but that it appears alcohol and speed and lack of knowledge of the area all contributed to the crash. The 21-year-old driver of North Attleboro will receive citations associated with the crash, police say.
“Had it not been for the selfless acts of these officers, this unfortunate incident could have turned out much worse. Not only do I applaud their heroic efforts, but also those of our dispatchers and the other first responders associated with this crash and subsequent rescue," said Dartmouth Deputy Chief of Police Tony Vincent.
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