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A 25-year-old woman is lucky to be alive today after her car went off the road Wednesday, March 25, and into a 14-foot deep pond in southern Warren County, according to Harlan Twp. Fire Chief Andy Mitten.

"The accident happened just about in front of the firehouse," Mitten said. "One of our volunteer firefighters witnessed the accident, immediately called Warren County dispatch for assistance and got help from the other firefighters here."

Ohio Highway State Patrol Trooper Robert Waulk said Kelly Wooley of Goshen Twp. was traveling north on Ohio 132 to visit her mother in Oregonia when a flatbed truck darted out of the intersection at Morrow-Rossburg Road. Wooley swerved to avoid the truck and lost control of her car, which slid between two electric poles and into the pond.

According to Waulk, Joe Sherrod of Blanchester, the driver of the truck, was cited for failure to yield at a stop sign.

In addition to the Harlan Twp. firefighers, crews from Salem Twp. and Morrow were on the scene. It is standard practice to have at least two departments during a water rescue, according to Mitten, to ensure the safety of emergency responders.

Mitten said the car floated at first, but started to go under water.

"Wooley said that she remembered from TV shows she'd seen to roll down the window in case of an accident like this," Mitten said. "She was able to get herself out the window."

By this point, Mitten said, water was at least half way up the car and sinking fast. It was at this point, he said, that Wooley jumped from the roof of the car and swam to shore, where rescuers immediately offered assistance.

Sherrod initially helped rescuers and then left the scene, only to return later, Mitten said.

"It wasn't clear that he was involved in the accident at the beginning," he said. "But, to my knowledge, this was not a hit and run."

Wooley, who could not be reached for comment, was taken inside the firehouse for medical observation and to dry off, Mitten said. No injuries were reported.

It was good luck for the accident to happen when and where it did, according to Mitten.

"Because we're a volunteer department, there's not usually a lot of people here on a daily basis," Mitten said. "For this to happen right in front of us and to have so many people here was a good thing. If things were different, the end result could have been much more serious."

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4542 or mrossiter@coxohio.com.