Grandma, Grandkids Rescued From Jeep Submerged In Pond: RPDPS

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A grandmother and her two grandchildren were rescued Saturday when the SUV they were in became submerged in a pond at a Rohnert Park mobile-home park, police said. Officers and firefighters were dispatched at 8:50 p.m. to reports that a Jeep Cherokee had driven into the pond at Las Casitas Mobile Home Park on Bridgit Drive, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said in a news release.

It was reported that people were still inside the SUV in the 6-foot-deep pond located at the center of the park.

Patrol Officers Kieran Keaney and Mike Bacigalupi arrived within 4 minutes to find a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee approximately 15 feet from the edge of the pond along Rio Vista Lane, submerged up to the roof, Rohnert Park DPS officials said.

The 59-year-old woman who was driving the Jeep was already out of the car and was trying to get her 7- and 3-year-old granddaughters out and to the edge of the pond.

Keaney and Bacigalupi "quickly removed their police equipment and jumped into the pond to assist with rescuing the woman and children," officials said.

The two officers helped the 7-year-old swim to the edge and out of the pond and got the 3-year-old the rest of the way out of an open car window, then helped she and the grandmother to safety, officials said.

The grandmother and her grandchildren were evaluated by paramedics who determined they were not injured in the incident.

As for how the Jeep ended up in the pond, the grandmother, a resident of the park, told authorities she was driving on Rio Vista Lane when, due to it being dark and raining, she mistook the opening to the pond as the next street, Las Casitas Drive.

She made a left turn and by the time she realized it was the pond it was too late, she told authorities.

"The grandmother did not show any signs of being under the influence, but the DMV is being requested to re-evaluate her driving status," Rohnert Park DPS officials said.

"The owners of the Jeep were told they would need to work with their insurance to get the vehicle removed from the pond, and the park management was told they would need to have the pond checked for any hazardous substances from the Jeep," officials said.