Ormond man dies after car sinks in pond

The man was pulled from the sinking vehicle by Daytona Beach police, but died at the hospital two days later.

By Jarleene Almenas
| 4:10 p.m. March 15, 2021

A Daytona Beach Police officer stands by the pond in which the 2006 Buick passenger car sank into. Courtesy photo

Ormond Beach Observer
News

A 68-year-old Ormond Beach man whose vehicle sank into a pond on Thursday, March 11, later died from his injuries, Daytona Beach Police reported on Monday, March 15.

First responders were dispatched to a pond near the back parking lot of the Daytona Beach News-Journal building, located at 901 6th St., at 3:19 p.m. after receiving a call for help from a witness. Daytona Beach Police Capt. Byron Williams and Detective Collin Howell were the first to respond, and they swam out to the sinking vehicle, a 2006 Buick passenger car. They were able to pull the driver, whose identity has not been released, from the car and paramedics transported him to Halifax Health Medical Center. He died on Saturday, March 13.

A 52-year-old Daytona Beach man was a passenger inside the car, DBPD reports, but he managed to free himself and get out of the water before first responders arrived. He was medically cleared at the hospital and then arrested for having an open warrant out of Orange County. Police report the warrant is unrelated to the incident.

The passenger told police he and the driver were drinking alcohol before they tried to leave the parking lot of the News-Journal. As they were driving, the Buick struck a berm, causing them to go airborne before landing in the pond, according to DBPD.