CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Neighbors in a Chester community say they are still pretty shaken up after a person was found dead in a car that had driven into a nearby pond.
Chesterfield County Police Department is continuing to investigate the incident — first reported around 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12 — which occurred at a retention pond in the 1900 block of Mount Blanco Road.
One neighbor who spoke with 8News wished to remain anonymous but said they were there when it happened.
“My fight kicked in,” they said. “I told my brother to call 911 and I just ran to wherever the car was.”
Ring video captured the moments leading up to the crash as a black vehicle slowly veered off the road. Onlookers can be seen stopping in their tracks to see what is happening before the car crashes into the pond, becoming submerged.
“I had flagged a car down to help us out. Luckily he just lives right down the road as well,” they said. “He just immediately jumped in and tried to break the windows. I ran inside to grab some hammers for him to break in the windows.”
Unfortunately, the neighbors’ heroic efforts weren’t enough. When first responders arrived at the scene, they worked to get the driver out and then performed CPR. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where they later died.
“[It] got my anxiety up a little bit,” said Eric Gonzalez, another nearby resident.
Gonzalez lives on the other side of the pond that the car was found in. He said he is still in shock over the incident.
“I’m a little jittery because it’s pretty quiet around here,” Gonzalez said. “Obviously just stunned at the police presence. I was like what in the world is going on.”
The name of the driver is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin. There were no other injuries, according to fire crews.
“Prayers go out to the family and the loved ones,” Gonzalez said. “And their deceased.”
Chesterfield Fire said there is no known cause of the accident at this time.
