Watch CBS News

Strangers, Cops Team Up To Save Woman From Ellis Lake

MARYSVILLE (CBS13) — A Marysville woman is alive after being trapped in her car underwater. It happened early Thursday morning at Ellis Lake in Downtown Marysville.

"The water came in and I said, "Wow, how do I get out?" said Masako Edwards, who was driving Thursday morning on Highway 20.

Edwards told CBS13 she remembers crashing into a truck, driving straight into Ellis Lake and being very cold. But it happened so quickly; she says she didn't even have time to think.

"I hit the rocks or something and next thing you know it was water," Edwards said.

An airbag had hit her in the face, and she was trapped by her seat belt. The truck driver and another man nearby saw her car submerged and jumped into the lake to try to save her.

"They tried to open the door, and they opened the door, and the water came gushing out," Edwards said.

Two Marysville police officers arrived and also dove in to help. Together, the four men carried Edwards to the shore.

"You know, not in the least bit surprised," said Marysville Police Chief Aaron Easton. "The courage shown by all these gentlemen was really great and, really, it could have been so much worse."

The accident happened where Highways 70 and 20 come together. Easton says with so much traffic funneling through, police see collisions here all the time."

"It's in our top five locations for collisions," Easton said. "As far as vehicles into the lake, that's pretty rare."

Edwards was taken to the hospital and later released with only a bit of soreness in her neck. And her gratitude towards her four heroes is overwhelming.

"I was so lucky," she said. "So lucky!"

One of the four men is an off-duty firefighter who happened to see the accident. He says he was simply in the right place at the right time and he's glad he could help out.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.