Stratford police are crediting a good Samaritan for saving an elderly man from drowning in his overturned SUV after plunging sideways into chilly marsh waters minutes earlier.
Peter Procyk of Stratford, driving home from work, called 911 after seeing Hoodes SUV sticking out of the water on Lordship Boulevard.
"I saw the car rolled over, tires were spinning in the water so I said, wow, this can't be good", said Procyk.
Procyk jumped into the marsh and was able to keep 78-year-old Robert Hoodes' head above water until emergency crew arrived.
"I was able to look into the car and there he was laying on the passenger door looking up. His feet were out of the water and his face was under the water so I jumped in the car and picked him up", said Procyk. "As soon as we saw the fire trucks coming, the officers grabbed him and I got underneath and we hootched him out of the car."
Within 20 minutes, rescue divers were able to free Hoodes from the car completely and rushed him to Bridgeport Hospital . Police say Hoodes was suffering from hypothermia and had some broken bones. He is expected to recover.
This is at least the second car to plunge into Connecticut waters this week. On Monday, an SUV plunged into the Connecticut River in Enfield.
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That driver was also rescued and treated for hypothermia.
