Off-Duty El Portal Police Officer Rescues Woman Trapped In Car

EL PORTAL, FL — Angel Lopez was at the right place at the right time when a woman became trapped in her car after it plunged into a canal outside of Miami.

Lopez was on his way home Tuesday after a shift with the El Portal Police Department when he spotted the vehicle sinking in the canal near North Miami Avenue and Northwest 85th Street. The 35-year police veteran dove into the water to help the woman, according to Local 10 News.

“I stripped off my gun belt, and I went down the embankment,” Lopez told the local ABC affiliate. “Luckily, the car stayed floating long enough that we could get her out.”

The woman behind the wheel of the sinking car, Sabrina Anderson, told the station she was grateful for the rescue. She said her car went into the canal after being involved in a three-way vehicle collision that pushed hers over the edge.

Anderson was not hurt in the incident, and no other injuries were reported from the scene. It’s unknown what caused the collision, but WSVN reports Anderson was cited in connection with it.

El Portal Police Chief David Magnusson lauded Lopez’s actions for saving Anderson’s life, telling Local 10 News he was proud of his officer. However, Lopez said he was just doing his job.

“Thousands of us every day in this country who wear this uniform do these kinds of things,” he told the station. “It’s just another day on the job; this is what we sign up for.”