On February 1, 2012, 90-year-old Richard Weiss of Rhode Island veered off of the road that he was traveling on and plunged into the Des Plaines River. Fortunately, two men saw the accident and were able to rescue Mr. Weiss before he drowned. The rescuers needed a hammer from a tool box in one of their cars in order to break the glass and reach Mr. Weiss. The victim was left with only minor injuries following the crash.
Mr. Weiss was in the process of moving from Rhode Island to Burlington, Wisconsin, when he lost control of his vehicle along a curve on Highway 142 in Kenosha County. He was driving a station wagon at the time of the crash. The Kenosha Sheriff’s office responded to the scene of the accident. Sergeant Bill Beth revealed that the car was rapidly sinking when the two good samaritans from Chicago, Illinois, were able to rescue Mr. Weiss from drowning.
The two rescuers also agreed that Mr. Weiss was almost drowning when they attempted to free him from the vehicle. Water had reached up to his chin. Initially, they tried to break the driver side window to free him, but unfortunately the door was locked. This spurred them to break the sunroof and pull Mr. Weiss from safety through the opening.
One of the two men, Greg Drozdiak, stated that he and his friend were traveling right behind Mr. Weiss at the time of the crash. They do not believe that Mr. Weiss attempted to brake before going into the river, and no marks were left on the road. The reason for Mr. Weiss’s car accident is unclear; however, it may have been due in part to Mr. Weiss’s unfamiliarity with the particular stretch of road. Officials continue to investigate the accident.
The Gurnee office of Hupy & Abraham, expresses its best wishes for Mr. Weiss in his recovery, and we salute the heroic efforts of the two rescuers.