CLINTON COUNTY, Ill. (DDN) – A woman from Breese, Illinois, passed away overnight after her vehicle went into a pond in rural Clinton County.
Sheriff Dan Travous reported that Clinton County Dispatch got a 911 call shortly after 12:15 a.m. regarding a crash in the 15000 block of Rod and Gun Road, located just north of Breese.
A caller informed dispatchers that a car did not make a turn at an intersection and crashed into the pond. A passenger managed to free himself and then took three dives into the cold, dark water to try to rescue his wife.
The sheriff reported that the vehicle was overturned, with just its rear wheels visible above the ground. Following three failed attempts to dive, the passenger hurried to a nearby house to ask for assistance.
First responders observed that a power pole at the intersection had been hit and had fallen into the pond close to the submerged vehicle. Workers from Clinton County Electric were sent out to make the area safe.
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Firefighters from the Breese Fire Department entered the pond to rescue the driver. The woman was successfully freed and taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment.
Susan K. Hilmes, the driver, was declared deceased at the hospital. She was 59 years old. Her husband was hospitalized due to injuries but has survived.
Reference: Couple crashes into frigid pond overnight; only passenger survives
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