Man Jumps Into Passaic River To Save Woman From Sinking SUV
NUTLEY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A New Jersey man jumped into the Passaic River to save a woman after her car plunged into the water.
As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, Jason Moss jumped into the river Tuesday morning, to save a 50-year-old Cranford woman from her sinking SUV.
"I kind of just took the natural reaction because we didn't have time at that point because the car was three-quarters of the way sunk," Moss said, adding that he's "no hero."
Moss was in a parking lot when someone screamed there was a car in the Passaic River. He then immediately drove across the bridge to rescue the woman.
He jumped into the water without hesitation.
"Her being floating on top of it, just unconscious, she had her seatbelt off," Moss explained. "Window was a crack open, so I reached in, opened the door. Wasn't sure if it was pressure or if it was locked, but it was hard to open."
Cellphone video showed Moss as he struggled to open the vehicle's door, and with water filling the SUV, he had to move quickly.
"If I don't get it open she's going to die in front of me," Moss said. "Gave it everything I had, put my foot on the door for leverage and just pulled it open as hard as I could. It started to sink, I pulled her out and cops came at that time."
Nutley police said the woman's SUV jumped a small curb, but they're not exactly sure how she ended up on the Dock Street landing parallel to Route 21. They said if not for Moss' actions, the woman would have drowned.
"Her daughter messaged me on Facebook, said that she's OK, she broke a shoulder, I think, but that means more than anything," Moss said. "She's someone's mother, someone's daughter, she's someone's wife, that's why I did it."
Moss added that he would do it all again.