Woman, infant son rescued from SUV that crashed into pond

Good Samaritans save driver, boy, pulling them out of SUV partially in water

LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A woman and an infant boy were injured when a sport utility vehicle crashed into a pond Friday morning in Lauderhill.

Lauderhill Fire Rescue Department Capt. Jerry Gonzalez said the driver of the Mazda SUV lost control at the Sunrise Boulevard southbound on-ramp to Florida's Turnpike about 9 a.m., crashing into the water.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said some good Samaritans pulled a mother and her 4-month-old son out of the water. They were taken to Plantation General Hospital to be treated for minor injuries. The woman has since been identified as 30-year-old Melissa Valderrama. 

A view from Sky 10 showed the driver's side window of the vehicle was shattered and a baby stroller on the embankment.

The driver's side window of the vehicle that was partially under water was shattered.
A baby stroller was resting on an embankment near the pond where a vehicle was partially in the water.

One of the good Samaritans was identified as landscaper Miguel Enrique, who works for Superior Landscaping in Miami.

Enrique told Local 10 News that he and his partner were working a job in the area when they saw the woman lose control of her SUV and crash into the pond.

Enrique said he jumped into the water as his co-worker stopped other vehicles to help. 

Enrique said he first grabbed the baby and handed him to a bystander before helping Valderrama to safety.

The father of three said he isn't a hero, but said he only did what he would expect someone else to do for his family. 

Divers went into the water to make sure nobody else was inside. Rescuers then towed the SUV out of the pond.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known.