COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two men were hospitalized, one of them in critical condition, after attempting to rescue their brother from a pond in north Columbus Wednesday morning.
The crash happened at 7:04 a.m. near an Amazon facility at 6475 Busch Boulevard.
Columbus Division of Fire Battalion Chief Steve Martin said the driver, who was an Amazon employee, was on his break before the crash.
After he got into his vehicle and started it up, Martin said the man backed up into a parked vehicle behind him. He then drove forward, went over the curb and into the retention pond.
The driver’s two brothers witnessed the crash and jumped into the pond to save him.
The driver got out of his vehicle through the passenger side and swam to shore. One of the brothers who jumped in was also able to get out of the pond.
Martin said the second brother who jumped in went to the driver's side but somehow got stuck and went under. He was underwater for about 45 minutes when dive teams pulled him out of the pond.
Martin said that the brother was not breathing but had a pulse at the time. He was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital in critical condition.
The second brother was also taken to Riverside for treatment. His condition is unknown but he is expected to be OK.
Martin said the driver is OK and did not need medical attention at the scene.
The southbound lanes of Busch Boulevard reopened after being closed during the investigation.