Homeowner rescues elderly man who drove into swimming pool

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Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Resident rescues elderly man who drove into his pool
Josh Einiger reports from Commack.

COMMACK (WABC) -- A Good Samaritan rescued an elderly man who accidentally drove his SUV into a swimming pool on Long Island.

The incident happened around 3:45 p.m. in Commack.

79-year-old Joseph DiDonato was driving a 2010 Acura SUV through the parking lot of Mayfair Foot Care on Harned Road when he apparently pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake.

The Acura broke through a fence into the backyard of a home and landed in the deep end of an in-ground pool on Smiths Lane.

The homeowner, John Bacchi, 32, was in the backyard at the time of the crash.

Bacchi jumped into the pool, broke the driver's side window, and pulled DiDonato out of the window to safety.

DiDonato was transported to Huntington Hospital for evaluation.

Bacchi and his wife, who was also in the backyard at the time of the crash, were not injured.