Bodycam video released Wednesday shows a late-night crash in Glendale Heights turning into a frigid water rescue, as officers jump into a frozen pond and haul three people out of an ice-covered car. In the close-up footage, officers can be seen slogging through slushy ice, struggling to keep the victims afloat and calm while repeatedly reassuring them, at one point telling a passenger, "we got you." All three people were treated for minor injuries, and the officers walked away unhurt.
Police were called around 1:35 a.m. Sunda,y to the area of Burdette Avenue and Roberta Avenue, where responders spotted the victims roughly 20 to 30 feet from shore and the vehicle sitting about 12 feet below the ice. Air temperatures hovered near 1 degree at the time, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Officers Waded Through Ice To Reach Victims
In the bodycam clips, Officers Dennis Stachura and Marco Lomibao are seen in the water holding the three people up as they move through chunks of broken ice, inching everyone closer to shore until additional responders can pull them out. The Glenside Fire Protection District assisted at the scene, and Glendale Heights Police Chief George Pappas later praised what he called the officers' "selfless acts" in a statement to the Daily Herald.
Bodycam Catches Calm 'We Got You' Moment
The footage released by the police department shows officers calmly coaching the shivering occupants as they work, repeating reassurances while turning a routine crash call into a full-on water rescue in seconds. The department shared the video on Wednesday to show how quickly the situation unfolded and to highlight the dangerous conditions first responders pushed through, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Driver Charged And A Cold Reality Check On Winter Safety
Police said the driver has been charged with driving under the influence in connection with the crash, as reported by the Daily Herald. The incident unfolded during a period of heightened holiday traffic enforcement in Glendale Heights, when the village joins statewide campaigns that push sober driving and consistent seatbelt use, according to the Village of Glendale Heights.
Authorities urged residents to stay off frozen ponds and lakes and to call 911 immediately if a crash or a person ends up on the ice, noting that fast-moving police and fire crews prevented an already scary situation from becoming something far worse. The Glendale Heights Police Department has not released the names of the victims, and the investigation remains active.
