Illinois lawmaker stops runaway car, saves pregnant woman from falling into lake: ‘I can’t die today’

A sheriff’s deputy in Williamson County, Illinois, is being praised for saving a pregnant woman whose car refused to stop as it careened toward a frozen lake.

The seven-minute ordeal started hectic Emergency call early Wednesday morning.

“I need help. My brakes don’t stop. My car won’t stop. My brakes don’t work,” the woman told dispatchers. She added: “I am 20 weeks pregnant. I can’t die today.”

The car was traveling at about 30 miles per hour on a dark country road toward a dead end near the lake. Officers responded quickly and dispatchers coordinated efforts to intercept the vehicle.

“Turn right at the next street, okay?” said a dispatcher. “If you don’t turn back, you’ll end up in a lake.”

Deputy Tyler Coffey was the first to catch up with the out-of-control car. Using a rolling roadblock maneuver, Coffey positioned his patrol car in front of the vehicle to bring it to a stop.

“Her brake lights were on and she wasn’t slowing down,” Coffey said. “As I got to the front of their vehicle, I slowed down… their bumpers met mine and we slowly came to a stop.”

In the 911 recording, the woman can be heard screaming: “I’m going to hit the police officer. I’m going to hit him,” not knowing the officers were trying to help her.

Despite the collision, the woman, her dog and the officers were uninjured. There was only minor damage to both cars.

Asked whether he should be called a hero, Deputy Coffey said: “I’ve heard that a lot. I appreciate the comments, but we are all heroes – from the dispatchers to the deputies. Everyone worked together and made this a safe incident.”