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911 calls released in Osceola fatal car into pond

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — A driver died after crashing his car into an Osceola County retention pond early Friday morning.

The crash happened on Osceola Parkway at the Loop shopping plaza.

Witnesses said Jose Soto Maisonet of Kissimmee was on his cellphone as the car was sinking.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the 39-year-old driver tried to turn left onto Osceola Parkway, but drove onto the shoulder of the roadway instead, and then into the pond.

Witnesses called 911.

Caller: "I can't swim and it's just going down!"

Operator: "No, I wouldn't recommend you getting in, and no one's gotten out of the car?"

Caller: "No, nobody got out. Oh my God."

Witness said they tried to use a rope to help him.

"You could see the silhouette of him sitting in the car, but he was very calm. He didn't seem to be struggling," said witness Henry Anguello. "The man turned on the dome light and was actually calling for assistance, and I could see he was in the car, so he wasn't unconscious. The dome light was on and I saw him on a cellphone."

Troopers said Maisonet has had severe medical issues in the past, and believe that he may have suffered a medical episode prior to crashing.

Caller: "It's going all the way down. It's completely down. I can't even see the car anymore. It's a brown car and it's down completely. Nobody got out of the car. It's gone. Oh my God!"

His family members told investigators he had serious medical issues related to diabetes, and an insulin pump was found inside the car.

But based on the appearance of an insulin pump, it's possible he was trying to operate it and not using a cellphone.

Follow Steve Barrett on Twitter at @SBarrettWFTV for live updates from the scene.