Off-Duty Fire Chief Helps Rescue Couple From Drowning In Ohio County
By: Kayla Moody
Updated: November 16, 2012
An apparent dispute between an Ohio County teenager, her boyfriend and her father ends in a serious car accident. Tony Berkley faces wanton endangerment charges. His 18-year-old daughter Melissa and her 21-year-old boyfriend Jerry Goodman, Jr. are in the hospital.
The Ohio County Sheriff says Melissa Berkley and Goodman decided to leave her home during the argument, but her father apparently followed them. Investigators say Melissa called 9-1-1 and complained that her father was chasing them in his vehicle. Officials say the two young people lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pond on S.R. 878 near Dundee.
Bystanders and medical personnel pulled Melissa Berkley and Goodman out of the vehicle. Both were airlifted to different hospitals where officials say they are in critical condition. Ohio County Sheriff David Thompson says they have a chance at life because of the people who came to their aid before emergency responders arrived.
Dundee Fire Chief Danny Pogue was off-duty and driving home from a meeting when he saw someone on the side of the road. "They were hollering that there was a car upside down in the lake with people in it," says Pogue."And at that point I drove on down to the lake and I quickly assessed what we needed to do, and we did what we had to do to get those individuals out,"
Pogue hooked the partially submerged car to his own vehicle so he could start rescuing Melissa Berkley and Goodman. Wading waist deep in frigid water, he pulled Goodman from the vehicle. Pogue says a man that lives near the accident helped him reach Goodman.
Pogue tried to save Berkley, but the frigid water was becoming too much. "I made several attempts to get [Melissa] but at that point my legs were numb. I knew I had to get out," he says.
Pogue was taken to the hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and later released. Emergency responders were able to extricate Berkley from the vehicle. She and Goodman were unresponsive when they were rescued. Goodman was taken by medical helicopter to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville and Berkley was airlifted to University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.
Right now it's unclear if Goodman and Berkley will recover from their injuries, but they have a chance. Sheriff Thompson says they may not have had that chance had Pogue and other bystanders not jumped into action. "Whenever you're there, chances go up," says Pogue. "That's what we're supposed to do. That's what we're trained to do."
Tony Berkley was arrested on scene. Investigators wouldn't go into detail about his criminal background, but say this isn't their first encounter with him and his family. "We certainly know of the family and know of the individual thetas been charged and we do have some history with making calls to his residence," says Sheriff Thompson.
Berkley is currently being held on a $50,000 full cash bond. The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be filed.
The Ohio County Sheriff says Melissa Berkley and Goodman decided to leave her home during the argument, but her father apparently followed them. Investigators say Melissa called 9-1-1 and complained that her father was chasing them in his vehicle. Officials say the two young people lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a pond on S.R. 878 near Dundee.
Bystanders and medical personnel pulled Melissa Berkley and Goodman out of the vehicle. Both were airlifted to different hospitals where officials say they are in critical condition. Ohio County Sheriff David Thompson says they have a chance at life because of the people who came to their aid before emergency responders arrived.
Dundee Fire Chief Danny Pogue was off-duty and driving home from a meeting when he saw someone on the side of the road. "They were hollering that there was a car upside down in the lake with people in it," says Pogue."And at that point I drove on down to the lake and I quickly assessed what we needed to do, and we did what we had to do to get those individuals out,"
Pogue hooked the partially submerged car to his own vehicle so he could start rescuing Melissa Berkley and Goodman. Wading waist deep in frigid water, he pulled Goodman from the vehicle. Pogue says a man that lives near the accident helped him reach Goodman.
Pogue tried to save Berkley, but the frigid water was becoming too much. "I made several attempts to get [Melissa] but at that point my legs were numb. I knew I had to get out," he says.
Pogue was taken to the hospital where he was treated for hypothermia and later released. Emergency responders were able to extricate Berkley from the vehicle. She and Goodman were unresponsive when they were rescued. Goodman was taken by medical helicopter to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville and Berkley was airlifted to University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.
Right now it's unclear if Goodman and Berkley will recover from their injuries, but they have a chance. Sheriff Thompson says they may not have had that chance had Pogue and other bystanders not jumped into action. "Whenever you're there, chances go up," says Pogue. "That's what we're supposed to do. That's what we're trained to do."
Tony Berkley was arrested on scene. Investigators wouldn't go into detail about his criminal background, but say this isn't their first encounter with him and his family. "We certainly know of the family and know of the individual thetas been charged and we do have some history with making calls to his residence," says Sheriff Thompson.
Berkley is currently being held on a $50,000 full cash bond. The investigation is continuing and additional charges may be filed.
