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Off-duty police officer rescues man and woman whose car went airborne in crash

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — An off-duty Ponce Inlet police officer rushed to save a man and a woman whose car went airborne Friday morning in Volusia County.

Officials said the crash happened on State Road 415.

Officer Rich Gardner captured the moment on his personal dashcam.

The video shows the car veer off, hit an embankment, go airborne and finally land in a ditch.

In the video, you can see Gardner turn around to help the victims.

"I've explained it to other people as this unbelievable thud that really signified the abrupt stop of that vehicle, and it was just something I thought certainly can't be survivable," Gardner said.

He said the woman was hurt in the crash, but they both somehow survived.

Gardner said that once he made it to the vehicle, "I could hear people inside. I could hear a female say, What's happening? What's happening?"

Gardner said the man told him he fell asleep at the wheel.

"It really is a slow-motion movie. You're watching all this take place. It's something I've never seen before and hope I don't see again," Gardner said.

Channel 9 contacted the Florida Highway Patrol to see how the man and woman are doing. However, FHP has not responded.

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