Early this morning, a vehicle plunged into the water off Vilano Beach boat ramp, leaving one person in a critical condition. According to the First Coast News, the alarming incident happened just after 6 a.m. and triggered responses from multiple emergency agencies, including the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office (SJCSO). The SJCSO Dive Team was called in to retrieve the submerged vehicle, and a video captured from The Bait Shack shows the silver sedan making a beeline for the aquatic endpoint.
In a distressing sequence of events, the silver sedan was seen on video speeding toward the boat ramp, halting briefly before committing to the water, Fire rescue and police personnel arrived soon after to witness the aftermath of this emergency. "Video from The Bait Shack shows a silver sedan speeding toward the water. About three minutes prior to entering the water, the vehicle drives up to the water and reverses. Two people on their phones approach the water after the car goes in, and then they head out of the camera's view," reported First Coast News. Divers from both St. Johns County and St. Augustine fire departments were dispatched for the rescue operation.
The solitary occupant of the vehicle was quickly transported to the hospital, labeled as critically injured. Action News Jax noted this from the St. Johns County Fire Rescue Department, "The person was rushed to the hospital where they were listed in critical condition."
The ongoing investigation is led by the St. Augustine Police Department with assistance from the SJCSO Real Time Intelligence Center. A brief social media statement from the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office detailed the coordinated response: "Just after 6am this morning, SJSO, St. Augustine Police Department, and St. Johns County Fire Rescue, and St. Augustine Fire Department responded to the Vilano Boat Ramp after a vehicle drove into the water." The specific circumstances leading to this incident remain under scrutiny.
