Texas woman recovering after dramatic rescue from submerged vehicle

WEST ORANGE, Texas (AP) — Newly available video shows police in southeast Texas making a dramatic water rescue of a woman whose vehicle was almost completely submerged in a pond.

Jonquetta Winbush’s two children, a 12-year-old boy and 16-year-old girl, managed to get out while Winbush was having a seizure in late July, West Orange, Texas, Assistant Police Chief Jessie Romero said Wednesday. Winbush then passed out and put her foot on the gas pedal, plunging her vehicle into the pond.

Body camera footage from veteran patrolman Charles Cobb, who was nearby monitoring traffic, shows Winbush’s son frantically approaching the officer.

“She’s having a seizure. She’s sunk,” the boy told Cobb. “She’s in the water. Help her.”

Cobb put the boy in the back of his patrol car and raced to Winbush’s vehicle, which was almost completely underwater. Two workers from a local plant had already gotten in the water to get Winbush out, Romero said.

After dragging Winbush from the pond, Romero said Cobb administered chest compressions.

“She was totally unconscious,” Romero said. “He was able to get a pulse back while he had her there on the ground and revive her until EMS got there.”

Winbush’s sister, Bevnisha Holman, said she personally thanked one of the workers, Epifanio Munguia, for helping save her sister’s life.

“I messaged him and (said) I want to personally thank you for being there for my niece and nephew and ultimately my sister, because he really helped save her life,” Holman told Beaumont television station KBMT.

After three weeks in intensive care, Romero said Winbush is now breathing on her own.

“She’s still in the hospital, but she’s going to make a full recovery,” he said.

The Associated Press