Walnut Creek officer saves elderly man who drove into pool

Walnut Creek officer saved man who drove into a swimming pool

A Walnut Creek officer saved an elderly man who drove into a swimming pool. Authorities said the man suffered a medical emergency which led him to crash into the pool.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - A Walnut Creek officer saved a man from his sinking SUV after crashing through a backyard fence and into a swimming pool, police said.

Walnut Creek police officer Michael Czyz was first to arrive on the scene Monday after police received a report of a vehicle that drove through a fence of a residence and possibly into the pool, according to the police.

Czyz jumped into the pool and pulled the 79-year-old driver from his car after seeing the Ford Explorer sinking quickly into the pool.

Czyz performed CPR before medics took the driver to the hospital, police said.

"I held onto him, pull him out," said Czyz, "I knew at that point he had been underwater for some time, so I started CPR, chest compressions, and after some time, he started to show some signs of coming to."

The officer has been with Walnut Creek police for about four years but said this was the first he has saved someone while on the job.

Police are still investigating the collision but said the driver likely suffered a major medical emergency, which led to the accident.