INTENSE Video Shows People Trying To Smash The Windows Of An SUV After It Crashed Into The Water And Started Sinking With The Woman Driver Inside

What could have been a devastating tragedy turned into a heart-stopping rescue, and it all happened in a matter of minutes.

On Friday, January 16, community members sprang into action behind Bubba’s Seafood Restaurant & Crabhouse in Virginia Beach, Virginia, when an SUV veered into the water with the driver trapped inside. As the vehicle began to sink, bystanders didn’t wait for instructions—they moved.

Video captured by Nicole Davis shows the chaos and courage unfolding at the same time. The SUV is already taking on water as several Good Samaritans surround it, smashing windows and shouting to the woman inside, trying desperately to help her escape. But as the water rises, it becomes clear the doors won’t open.

With the vehicle nearly submerged, one man breaks through the rear windshield. Moments later—just seconds before the SUV disappears beneath the surface—the driver is pulled free.

According to WAVY, four people were involved in the rescue, including Jeremy Way, an aviation rescue swimmer and 17-year U.S. Navy veteran who happened to be nearby. Way told the station the driver couldn’t unlock her doors as the SUV filled with water, forcing the rescuers to act fast and improvise.

After another man climbed into the SUV to assist, the group was finally able to get the woman out. Way then placed her in a cross-chest carry and swam toward nearby pylons, guiding her to safety.

Virginia Beach Police said the driver and two of the rescuers were taken to the hospital with non-serious injuries. The SUV was removed from the water before 5 p.m. local time.

What’s next:
Police are continuing to investigate what caused the crash, and the circumstances leading up to the SUV entering the water have not yet been confirmed.