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Two Airlifted After Car Drives Into Flood Waters

Posted at 10:27 PM, Jan 21, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-22 22:35:08-05

WHITLEY COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18)- Bystanders helped rescue a woman from a flooded car early Monday morning, Williamsburg Fire confirms.

Fire officials believe a father and daughter were inside the car when they tried to drive through floodwaters on Dal Road. The fire chief tells LEX 18 that it appears their car stalled out and they became trapped.

The man was able to get out but the woman remained trapped inside for more than an hour, officials believe.

Luckily, Jeff Miller came upon the car stuck in the water, at first not realizing anyone was inside. He drove to his father’s house on Dal Road and they came back to check out the flooding, when another bystander told them someone was still inside.

“We knew, if somebody was in there, we were going,” said Robert Miller.

With an outside temperature of just 11 degrees, Jeff and Robert Miller immediately plunged into the frigid water to save the woman.

“She said she didn’t want to die. And she asked if we would not leave her, actually, she said ‘please don’t leave’,” said Jeff Miller.

They pulled her out of the car and tried to warm her up on the riverbanks until first responders arrived.

Fire and rescue personnel used special equipment to pull the woman off the banks to an ambulance.

While the rescue was going on, two other neighbors stopped and let the man inside their car to warm up.

“Anytime you could help someone you should. Cause you never know it may be someone you love and you aren’t there, you hope someone else would help them,” said Jeff Miller.

Both the driver and passenger were airlifted to UT Hospital with hypothermia.

There is no word on either of their conditions at this time.

Williamsburg Fire Department.