KSP: Five local witnesses save elderly woman, toddler from sinking truck in Harlan County

HARLAN COUNTY, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW via LEX NEWS) – Kentucky State Police (KSP) Trooper Shane Jacobs is reporting that an elderly woman and a toddler were rescued from a sinking truck in Harlan County on Thursday by five “remarkable” witnesses.

According to Jacobs, around 2:45 p.m. Thursday, KSP Post 10 received a 911 call reporting that a pickup truck had rolled backwards into Martin’s Fork Lake, and an elderly female and a two-year-old child were trapped inside.

As the vehicle began to sink, four nearby citizens jumped into action to save the victims, according to Jacobs. As the four were working to free the victims, another nearby witness entered the water to assist with the rescue. Ultimately, the woman and the toddler were safely rescued without serious injuries.

“Thanks to the swift and selfless actions of all five individuals, both the elderly woman and the child were rescued without serious incident,” Jacobs wrote in a social media post. “Incidents like this serve as a powerful reminder that ordinary people are capable of extraordinary acts. In a matter of moments, these five individuals placed the lives of strangers ahead of their own safety.”