Woman listed in critical condition after car ends up in city canal
A driver who ended up in a canal on Monday may have had a medical episode, according to emergency responders.
At 1:41 p.m., Dolores Louise Zearfaus, 67, of 222 S.W. 24th Place, was driving a Hyundai east on Savona Parkway, heading toward Chiquita Boulevard. As she approached the intersection, the car did not stop, hitting the left rear area of an eastbound Kia SUV that was ahead of her and stopped on Savona.
Police reported that the Hyundai continued moving forward after the impact, traveling along the driver’s side of the Kia and into the intersection. Zearfaus was observed slumped forward over the steering wheel. The Hyundai continued east, driving off of the streets and into a vacant lot.
The car drove through two vacant lots before traveling across Southwest 15th Place. As the Hyundai entered the front yard of a home in the 3600 block of Southwest 15th Place, the car struck a water utility pipe. The Hyundai then headed east across another vacant lot, before driving off an embankment into a canal.
The car entered the water with Zearfaus still inside, according to police.
Several witnesses of the crash jumped into the canal and attempted to extricate Zearfaus from the Hyundai. Cape Coral Fire Department crews arrived on scene and assisted with removing her.
Police reported that Zearfaus, who had sustained life-threatening injuries, was relocated to a nearby dock and CPR was started. Zearfaus was then trauma-alerted to a local hospital via an ambulance.
Preliminary information appears to indicate that she may have had a medical emergency.
On Tuesday, officials reported that Zearfaus was listed in critical condition.
The crash is not alcohol or drug related, according to police.