Rescuers say the woman later delivered her baby after being taken to a hospital.
STUART, FL — A man driving to work jumped into a pond along Interstate 95 in Martin County and pulled a pregnant woman from her sinking car Friday morning, officials said. She was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and later gave birth.
The rescue unfolded in minutes along a busy stretch of highway, and it ended with a bystander and first responders working in cold conditions to get the woman to safety. Officials have not released the woman’s name, the cause of the crash, or details about the condition of the mother and child. Investigators said the crash remains under review as crews completed recovery at the scene.
Logan Hayes of Sebastian said he was driving toward work near Stuart when he noticed a vehicle in the water just off the highway near the Gatlin Boulevard exit by the weigh station. He said he pulled over and saw the car was already low in the pond and still going down. “As I was driving by, I saw this car in the pond,” Hayes said in an interview with WPBF-TV. He said he did not stop to think about the temperature or the risk, only that someone was trapped.
Hayes said he ran to the edge of the pond and went into the water, swimming to the partially submerged vehicle as it continued to sink. He reached the car and was able to get the woman out and bring her back to shore, according to accounts shared by local officials and witnesses. Hayes said he learned only afterward that the woman was pregnant. The water was cold enough that he described it as frigid, but he said the urgency of the moment pushed him forward.
Martin County Fire Rescue crews arrived minutes later and took over medical care, authorities said. The woman was transported to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce with serious injuries, according to officials and witness reports from the scene. Fire rescue divers entered the water to confirm no one else was inside the vehicle and to help with recovery efforts. The agency later praised the response, saying in a statement that it was “great teamwork by all responding units and the citizens on scene.”
Officials have not said what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway or whether any other vehicles were involved. They also have not released information on whether the woman was wearing a seat belt or whether alcohol, speed, or weather played a role. The pond sits alongside the interstate, where drainage canals and retention areas are common. A vehicle can end up in water quickly after a roadway departure, and once water reaches the doors and windows, escape can become difficult within minutes.
Witness accounts indicated the woman delivered her baby later Friday, after she was taken from the scene. Authorities did not provide the baby’s sex, the time of birth, or additional medical information. The lack of details left many basic questions unanswered, including how far along the woman was in her pregnancy, whether she went into labor because of the crash, and whether the newborn required specialized care. Still, the sequence of events — a highway crash, a water rescue, and a same-day delivery — drew attention across the Treasure Coast.
Online posts about the incident spread through local scanner and community pages, where people highlighted the speed of the rescue and the risks of entering cold, open water. Dan Toback, who posts under the name SLCScanner and shares public safety activity on the Treasure Coast, called it “an incredible story.” In interviews, Hayes was described as being on his way to work when he noticed something was wrong, and friends and commenters credited him with acting before rescue crews could reach the pond.
Officials said the crash remains under investigation, and no further updates had been released about the woman or her baby by Sunday. Authorities are expected to continue reviewing the circumstances that led to the car entering the pond, while the rescue and medical response remain the central facts known publicly so far.
Author note: Last updated February 8, 2026.