Watch Texas Police Officer Save Woman in Sinking Car Thanks to Son

Aug. 15, 2024
After her quick-thinking 12-year-old son flagged down a West Orange police officer, a woman who suffered a seizure and drove into water was freed from her submerged car and pulled to safety.

A Texas police officer, along with multiple bystanders, rescued a woman in a submerged car last month after she suffered a seizure and drove into water.

And the rescue might not have happened if it wasn't for the woman's 12-year-old son, who flagged down West Texas Police Officer Charles Cobb.

The incident happened July 24 when Jonquetta Winbush suffered a seizure while driving, and her car plunged into a body of water, ABC News reports. At the time, her 16-year-old daughter, Bri-Asia and 12-year-old son, Dwight, were in the vehicle.

According to Winbush's sister, Dwight was able to escape the sinking car and reach shore. His sister told him to get help, and Cobb's body camera captured the boy grabbing the attention of the officer.

"She's having a seizure!" Dwight is heard saying in the footage. "She's stuck! She's in the water, help her!" 

Cobb waded into the water and used a window punch to gain entry to the vehicle. He and a few bystanders then worked frantically to try to pull Winbush to safety as the car slowly sank.

"And then as soon as we were opening the door, the front door, I heard 'I got her,' and I felt like I won the lottery," said Epifanio Munguia, one of the bystanders who helped with the rescue.

Once Winbush was brought to shore, Cobb discovered she had no pulse and wasn't breathing. He immediately performed CPR for several minutes until medics arrived.

Winbush was rushed to the hospital and was put on a ventilator for three weeks. She is now breathing on her own and recovering.

Cobb and the other citizens who helped rescue Winbush were honored by the city Tuesday. 

About the Author

Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.

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