Wednesday, November 26, 2008
SUV recovered after pond crash
Police said a couple had emerged uninjured from the vehicle after the Roanoke County wreck.
Jordan Fifer | The Roanoke Times
A Ford Explorer is towed from a Roanoke County pond Tuesday evening.
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The first thing to rise up out of the cold, dark water was the antenna.
The Ford Explorer's radio aerial broke the surface of the pond like the periscope of a tiny submarine, then bubbles gurgled up from the murk.
Headlights and a hood became visible as the blue sport utility vehicle, drawn from the water by the cable of a tow truck's winch, crawled onto the frigid shore in slow jerks, like a strong but weary creature that had seen better days. Water and debris from the Ford's interior spilled from its rear as it reached land.
According to Sgt. M.H. Tuck with Roanoke County police, the Ford veered off Colonial Avenue a little after 2 p.m. and crashed into the pond near Sunscape Apartments. It became submerged.
Two towing companies and a pair of underwater divers were behind the vehicle's recovery Tuesday night.
"Not an average night, not at all," said Scott Mitchell, the apartment complex's service manager.
Tuck did not have information about the driver or criminal charges, but said he was aware that a couple had emerged from the vehicle without injuries.
"A lady ran in to save them and twisted her ankle," said Mary Beth Mitchell, Scott Mitchell's wife. "They were fine."
Two divers, Chuck Swecker and Rick Wolfe, donned wet suits and went into the water to find the Ford and attach towing cables to it. They operate a company called Aquatrek Adventures out of Salem and teach search and recovery techniques, but said they usually search for smaller quarry such as tools and mechanical parts.
Swecker said the water Tuesday night was in the low 40s and had a lot of silt in it.
"Basically we were working by feel," Swecker said afterward.
By 8 p.m., the Ford had been hooked, removed from the pond and pulled onto a rollback truck.
The Mitchells' daughter, Stephanie, 14, sifted through the debris left in the water and found what she thought was a purse but what turned out to be a small safety kit. She turned it over to the Ford's owner, who thanked her.
The owner said he did not wish to comment on the incident.
"At least everybody's safe," Scott Mitchell said. "No damage done other than to the vehicle."
