Police rescue driver of a vehicle submerged in icy water in Coon Rapids

The Coon Rapids Police Department on Wednesday rescued a driver from a vehicle that was submerged in icy water.

According to police, at about 12:34 a.m., officers responded to a call on the 1800 block of Northdale Boulevard NW after a passerby reported a vehicle had traveled off the road into a holding pond with people in it.

Upon arrival, officers located the vehicle almost completely submerged underwater, with only the roof and tail lights visible. Several officers entered the frigid water without any hesitation.

One person was found in the driver’s seat, unresponsive. An officer held the female driver’s head above the water while the others worked to remove her. The officers were able to break out the vehicle’s sunroof and collectively removed her through the roof access.

Coon Rapids Fire Department personnel and Allina paramedics also responded and assisted at the scene. Additional searching by first responders concluded there were no passengers in the car. The driver appeared lethargic, according to police, and was provided immediate medical attention by paramedics at the scene. The driver was transported to Mercy Hospital by ambulance.

A preliminary investigation shows that the person behind the wheel had apparently been driving erratically prior to crashing into the pond. Officers developed probable cause to believe the driver had been under the influence at the time of the crash.

The vehicle was removed from the pond. The incident remains under investigation.