Police Rescue Man As Car Sinks In Pond At The Jersey Shore

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township police rescued a man from his car after he accidentally drove it into a pond on Sunday, police said.

Patrol Officers Sean Rembach and Donald Miller were called to the area of Halstead Drive and Esplanade Drive near the golf course in the Renaissance shortly before 5 a.m. and heard a man calling for help, Lt. Chris Cerullo said.

George Migner, 86, of Manchester, was in his car, which was continuing to sink into the water, Cerullo said.

Rembach got in the water and swam to Migner to help, while Miller used a water rescue throw bag to help guide Migner safely out of the vehicle and back to shore, Cerullo said.

Migner's black 2024 Nissan Altima eventually became completely submerged, and the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company and the Whiting Fire Water Rescue and Recovery Team were called to help, he said.

Migner told officers that he was making a K-turn and accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake while putting the car in reverse. That caused the car to drive over the embankment and into the water hazard, Cerullo said.

Migner was treated and evaluated on scene by Manchester EMS for minor injury.

Whiting Volunteer Fire Company said its water rescue divers confirmed there was no one else in the car and found it had all four wheels resting on the bottom of the water hazard. The divers rigged the vehicle and it was pulled out of the water using the winch on the fire company's Brush Unit 3339, the fire company said.

Ridgeway Fire Company units provided land-based support throughout the operation, while Manchester EMS provided rehab monitoring for dive personnel, Whiting fire officials said.

Accurate Towing responded to tow the car.

"Excellent work by everyone involved," Whiting fire officials said. "Special recognition to the MPD officers who initiated the rescue and successfully removed the occupant prior to complete submersion."

"When seconds matter, there’s no room for hesitation — only training, discipline, and execution," the fire company said.

"The Manchester Township Police Department would like to extend its appreciation to all officers who responded, as well as the members of Manchester EMS, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company and the Whiting Fire Water Rescue and Recovery Team, for their assistance and coordinated efforts at the scene," the police department said.