Tollway Video I-90: Good Samaritans Rescue Woman from Submerged Car, Successfully Administer CPR

... #ad▼

Rockford-area residents rescue woman from submerged car off Interstate 90 near Huntley on Aug. 3, 2018. (Video provided by Illinois State Police)

Eleven people were presented commendation letters recently from the Illinois State Police in Downers Grove for helping save the life of Joanna Girmscheid, age 26, of Libertyville, after her car crashed into a retention pond at the interchange at I-90 and Route 47.

A tollway traffic cam captured the rescue that occurred about 3:15 p.m. August 3, 2018 at I-90 and Route 47 in Huntley.

“They were all heroes that day.”

— Leo P. Schmitz, Illinois State Police Director

The Good Samaritans who jumped to the rescue …

Derek A. Fivelson, Gilberts, IL

Molly J. Fivelson, Gilberts, IL

Jesus T. Flores, Roundlake, IL

Patrick K. Gaughan, Marengo, IL

Frankie R. Gonzalez, Sandwich, IL

Ismael Gutierrez, Aurora, IL

Donald J. Hataway, Machesney Park, IL

Corporal Nathan P. Jennings,

(Illinois Army National Guard) Machesney Park, IL

Nicholas B. Mason, Sycamore, IL

Evelyn Pagan, Hampshire, IL

Matthew J. Worden, Belvidere, IL

Five of the rescuers got into the water to remove Girmscheid, who was then unconscious, from her upside down car in water chest deep. Nathan Jennings is the rescuer that actually pulled Girmscheid out of the car. Matthew Worden anchored Jennings’ legs so he had leverage to pull Girmscheid out.

Molly Fivelson, a graphic designer who is CPR-certified, rushed to start CPR chest compressions as soon as Girmscheid was brought out of the water. Ismael Gutierrez, an Illinois Tollway worker who is CPR-certified in Mexico, was also involved in delivering chest compressions.

Illinois State Police said Joanna Girmscheid was traveling westbound on I-90 and exiting on the Route 47 southbound ramp when she lost control of her vehicle and ended up in the pond. She fought to get out of the car, even breaking her hand, and lost consciousness.

The rescuers even worked to confirm that there were no other occupants in the vehicle, using tools to access the car and search it carefully. Girmscheid regained consciousness, but she was not able to communicate whether there were any other people in the car. She was the only person in the car when it crashed.

Huntley firefighter/paramedics transported Girmscheid to a local hospital. She is mostly recovered, except for a healing fracture in her hand.

 NEWS COVERAGE … 

Rockford Register: Video captured the rescue from a retention pond near Huntley

MORE INFO BELOW ADS …




^^ MOBILE? USE VOICE MIC ^^

 facebook … 

GET ALERTS on Facebook.com/ArlingtonCardinal

GET ALERTS on Facebook.com/CardinalEmergencies

GET ALERTS on Facebook.com/ArlingtonHeightsCrime

Get updates from The Cardinal ALL NEWS FEEDS on Facebook. Just ‘LIKE’ the ‘Arlington Cardinal Page (become a fan of our page). The updates cover all posts and sub-category posts from The Cardinal — Arlingtoncardinal.com. You can also limit feeds to specific categories. See all of The Cardinal Facebook fan pages at Arlingtoncardinal.com/about/facebook …


Help fund The Cardinal Arlingtoncardinal.com/sponsor

20240105-1435future

Search Amazon …

Search for products sold on Amazon:

Arlingtoncardinal.com is an Amazon Associate website, which means that a small percentage of your purchases gets paid to Arlingtoncardinal.com at no extra cost to you. When you use the search boxes above, any Amazon banner ad, or any product associated with an Amazon banner on this website, you help pay expenses related to maintaining Arlingtoncardinal.com and creating new services and ideas for a resourceful website. See more info at Arlingtoncardinal.com/AdDisclosure