Cop Escapes After Cruiser Sinks In Flooded Wolcott Pond: Police

WOLCOTT, CT — A local police officer had to be rescued Tuesday after his cruiser started sinking into a pond that had flooded due to recent heavy rains, according to police.

The police department recounted the officer’s ordeal in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Police did not identify the male police officer.

The officer had gone to the sports complex on Spindle Hill Road to check on the building before the end of his shift, around 5:45 a.m.

A pond on the property is located along the driveway. According to police, after three days of rain, the pond was flooding onto the roadway. This made it difficult in the dark, early morning hours for the officer to see where the separation was between the pond and the driveway, police said, in the Facebook post.

As the officer entered the complex, his left front tire went off the road and into the pond. He tried to back up, but his vehicle slid into the pond and started filling with water, police said.

The officer tried to open his door to get out, but it wouldn’t open because of the pressure of the water, according to police.

“Luckily he opened his window before the engine seized,” the department said, in the post. “By now the inside of the car was filled with water up to the seat. The officer was able to get out through the window and climb onto the roof and call for assistance.”

The officer’s vehicle floated out approximately 20 feet and eventually was fully submerged.

The Fire Department used a lifeboat to rescue the officer, who escaped without any injuries, police said.

“Thankfully the outcome of this incident was much better and did not have what could have been a very tragic ending like the one that occurred during flooding in Woodbury to the Connecticut State Trooper,” the department said. “Insurance can always cover vehicles, but we can never replace the life of one of our officers.”

Trooper Sgt. Brian E. Mohl, 50, was killed in floodwaters in 2021.