Driver rescued from water by good Samaritan after car flew into mangroves, St. Pete firefighters say

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Officials say a 25-year-old St. Pete man is in critical condition after his car sped off I-275 on Wednesday afternoon.

According to St. Petersburg Fire Rescue, fire crews went to the scene of a crash around 12:30 p.m. after receiving reports that a white Tesla Model 3 was found on its side in the mangroves at the base of the Dick Misener Bridge.

The Florida Highway patrol says the Tesla was approaching the Skyway Bridge when the driver lost control. 

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol 

Witnesses say the car went airborne into the mangroves after speeding off the road. The driver was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown into the Gulf of Mexico, according to FHP.

According to authorities, a good Samaritan on a boat near the accident pulled the man who was driving from the water and took him to the Maximo boat ramp where they were met by St. Petersburg Fire Rescue paramedics.

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol 

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Officials say the man was taken to the hospital as a trauma alert to Orlando Health Bayfront St. Petersburg where he is currently in critical but stable condition.

St. Petersburg Fire Rescue crews say they immediately began an extensive search by sea and air to search for other victims.

Rescue divers looked underwater in the mangroves, small lake, and creek nearby and firefighters did an aerial search of the rescue site with a drone, according to authorities.

Searches confirmed that the driver who was rescued was the only victim.

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