NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk police officer and a group of strangers worked together Tuesday afternoon to rescue a woman trapped inside her car after a water main break opened a 7-foot sinkhole on City Hall Avenue.
Officer AJ Stevenson was first to act, climbing down into the sinkhole to reach the woman as water rushed around her vehicle. Bystanders, including Brennan Feldman, stopped what they were doing and rushed over — not to record the scene, but to help.
Body camera footage captured the moments Stevenson descended into the hole and talked the woman through the rescue.
Stevenson said he never considered waiting for backup before going in.
"I just immediately thought that I need to get her out that vehicle and one way or another. I was gonna get her out," Stevenson said.
Feldman said he was driving past when he heard the woman screaming and stopped immediately.
"As I drove by, I heard the lady screaming and then as I got a little bit closer, I saw her," Feldman said.
"And I said oh my goodness I really have to get this lady out that was my first thought," Feldman said.
"Lady was sitting in her driver seat still buckled. There was a rushing river of water around her," Feldman said.
While Stevenson worked to reach the woman, Feldman and others positioned themselves at the edge of the sinkhole to keep the officer anchored and help pull them both out safely.
"I'm sitting there and I'm grabbing his belt as hard as I can because he's a big guy," Feldman said.
Stevenson said the response from the people around him made the difference.
"Yes, I probably could've done it by myself, but it was a team effort. I owe a lot of thanks to the citizens that stood by. They didn't pull their phones out and start recording. They actually stood by and even checked on me as well as the woman," Stevenson said.
Feldman said he hopes Stevenson gets the credit he deserves for putting himself in danger to save a stranger.
"I would just tell him that you're just like I told him that day he did a fantastic job. I hope that he gets the recognition that he deserves because he risked his life to save a ladies life," Feldman said.
Stevenson said what stands out most from the rescue is not his own actions, but the fact that complete strangers came together without hesitation to help someone they had never met.
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