Car Takes Plunge
4-Year-Old Drives Mother's Car Into Heartwell Lake;
No Injuries Reported

Jeffrey Gautreaus
Hastings Tribune


A car became partially submerged in the lake at Heartwell Park today after a 4-year-old boy put the car into reverse and it rolled backward into the lake.

Hastings Police Chief Larry Thoren said the incident happened sometime between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. There were no injuries.

The boy was alone in the black Chevy Lumina in the driveway of 130 Forest Blvd. while his mother was preparing to put a younger child into the car, Thoren said.

The mother is Michelle Ford, age unknown, of 607 Ringland Road, according to the Hastings Fire Department.

The boy had locked the doors and put the running car into reverse. It then rolled backward across Forest Boulevard, down a hill and into the water.

The mother immediately ran into water and instructed the boy to press buttons on the doors to unlock the car, Thoren said.

The boy was able to unlock the door and was rescued by the mother.

"Fortunately, no one was hurt," Thoren said.

Thoren said the incident should be a lesson for all parents: "Don't leave young people in cars with keys."

The car was submerged almost up to the door handles.

Firefighters on the scene were thankful that the car did not enter the lake at a deeper spot where it could have been fully submerged.

Ten to 20 firefighters and emergency personnel were on the scene.

The headlights of the car were filled with water, and the passenger compartment was half-filled.

Reams Wrecker Service pulled the vehicle out of the water at about 10:15 a.m.

Thoren did not speculate as to whether the car could ever be used again.