DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Two Decatur police officers helped a man get out of Lake Decatur after his vehicle plunged into the water near South Shores on Wednesday morning.
"The subject was swimming, they were able to assist him to shore and out of the water," said Neil Elder, Chief of the Decatur Fire Department. "The car was still floating at the time and they saw it go down and confirmed no one was in it."
Decatur Police Department Chief Brad Allen told WAND News the driver was north on U.S. 51 near South Side Drive around 8 a.m. when the SUV went into the lake. Allen did not have additional information about how the SUV ended up in the lake.
Allen said the driver was out of the vehicle by the time officers arrived. But two DPD officers went into the lake with a flotation device to help the driver get out of the shallow water.
The driver was taken to the hospital for evaluation but did not have any serious injuries, according to police.
The area is called Fisherman's Wharf, an area popular for shoreline fishing.
Around noon, the Decatur Fire Department and several divers were pulling the vehicle from the water with a tow strap and winch. It took them more than two hours to locate the car and get it out.
"We're at the end where the dam is so there's a significant current," said Elder. "Once it's under then it's going to go a different direction because of the current. It could have been 50 to 100 feet from where we last saw it go in."
Top Stories:
Family of Lincoln crash victim targeted by fake GoFundMe scam
Doughnut worry Decatur as Yummy's Donut Palace grand opening is set
Roughly 1000 abandoned lots in Decatur, community weighs in
White House's 50-year mortgage proposal has one notable benefit but a number of drawbacks
Copyright 2025. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
