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Former U.S Marine and FWC officer honored for saving man trapped in his car in the water

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Updated  September 16, 2024 5:39pm EDT
Sarasota County
FOX 13 News

Congressman honors pair of heroes in Sarasota County

U.S. Rep. Greg Steube honored an FWC officer and a former U.S. Marine for their efforts to save a man trapped in his submerged car.

NOKOMIS, Fla. - Two heroes were honored Monday afternoon in Sarasota County for the part they played in rescuing a man from a sinking car last December.

Nine months ago, the weather outside Pop’s Sunset Grill in Nokomis wasn’t sunny. 

It was foggy, rainy and dark. 

Bartender Dominic Yacca won’t forget what happened next. 

"The band stopped playing, and they announced there was a vehicle in the intercostal," he said. 

Yacca, a former U.S Marine, told his co-workers he’d be back. 

"I ran across the street to my vehicle, got in it and drove over the bridge," said Yacca. 

When he got there, he knew he’d have to act fast. 

"The vehicle was already bouncing off the bridge, and passing high tide, rainy, windy. It was just bad conditions. The water was just moving," he recalled. 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Officer Specialist Kelsey Dalton had been patrolling nearby and met Dominic at the bridge. 

"I said I have to get him out. Without hesitation, he said I’ll go with you and I grabbed my baton out of the truck," said Dalton. 

The two jumped into the water, where Eric Peterson was trapped in his car. 

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"The windows wouldn’t work, the doors wouldn’t work. I was locked in the car. It was a floating tomb basically," said Peterson. 

Peterson had tried kicking out the door and a window. 

"I kept thinking, oh Jesus please don’t let me die like this," he told FOX 13. 

Yacca and Dalton were able to break out the back window and pulled Eric from his car, just as it went under. 

"You don’t know what to say other than when there was no hope, they provided the hope I needed, and they are true heroes to even risk their own lives diving in water at night. They made the comment that if the car went down they would have found a way to get me out of there," said Peterson. 

Congressman Greg Steube honored both Dalton and Yacca for their heroism. 

"It’s important to give attention to what happened. It’s important for the community to see that this type of stuff, every day Americans every day are doing things to save Americans because they see people in need and they react," said Steube. 

Connections and bonds were formed over a rescue mission no one expected. 

"I told him, if this isn’t your calling. I don’t know what is. You don’t see this every day in people, it’s pretty amazing," said Dalton. 

As the former Marine explores the possibility of joining the FWC he said everything happened for a reason. 

"I think we were both just at the right place at the right time," said Yacca. 

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