Good Samaritan helps rescue driver after car flies over boat and into water in Freeport

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Tuesday, September 19, 2023
Driver rescued after car goes over boat and into water in Freeport
A man was pulled from a car on Long Island after it crashed into the water in Freeport, Long Island on Tuesday. Tom Negovan has the latest.

FREEPORT, Long Island (WABC) -- A man was pulled from a car on Long Island after crashing into the waters surrounding the Freeport marina.

Police say the speeding car went airborne over a boat and plunged into the canal around 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Witnesses say he went by in a blur and into the 18-feet-deep canal.

A good Samaritan from Ukraine, Volodymyr Zubko, heard the collision and jumped into the water to get the driver out.

He said he found the driver unconscious with his legs sticking out a window.

The victim regained consciousness seconds after being pulled from the water. While disoriented, he struggled with first responders trying to render aid.

"It was a scene that you don't want to see-like he did not want to be taken out of that water," witness John Schepanski said.

Divers worked for hours to recover the car which damaged three boats when it went airborne.

The driver is recovering in a hospital.

Investigators are working to recover surveillance video from the marina and hope it will give them a better idea of how it all happened.

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