Illinois lawmaker stops a pregnant woman’s out-of-control car from crashing into Crab Orchard Lake

An Illinois deputy rescued a pregnant woman whose out-of-control car was careening toward a frozen lake when the brakes stopped working in a heartbreaking parade caught on camera.

The incident occurred around 2 a.m. Monday when emergency services received a frantic call from a woman who had lost control of the steering wheel on a rural road near Carterville, according to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.

“I need help. My brakes don’t stop. My car won’t stop. My brakes don’t work,” the distraught woman told dispatchers.

“I am 20 weeks pregnant. I can’t die today.”

The dispatcher carried the woman to safety while dashcam footage showed Deputy Tyler Coffey pulling his patrol car in front of the woman’s Chevy Malibu, which was traveling about 30 mph on the dark road, police said.

He then slammed on the brakes, slowly bringing the woman’s car to a stop after her front bumper gently collided with the back of the patrol car, less than a half-mile from Crab Orchard Lake.

“Had the deputy not been on scene or delayed this maneuver, the driver and vehicle likely would have entered the water upon reaching the lake,” said Sheriff Jeff Diederich.

The woman, her dog, who was in the car with her, and the officers involved were uninjured, CBS reported, although both cars sustained minor damage.

Coffey, who is now being hailed as a hero for his life-saving response, thanked everyone involved for the successful rescue.

“I appreciate the comments, but we are all heroes — everyone from the dispatchers to the deputies,” he told the outlet.

“Everyone worked together and made sure this incident was safe.”