A 3-year-old child is recovering in hospital after a car driven by a suspected drunk driver plunged into a Georgia lake, leaving the child trapped underwater.
A Summer Drive That Turned Into a Rescue Operation
It was just after sunset in Spalding County when the quiet along Dundee Lake was shattered by the roar of an engine and the sound of impact. Witnesses later described it as “like a giant metal splash” — and then silence.
Georgia State Patrol says an Acura sedan was speeding westbound on Dundee Lake Road before careening into the lake’s parking lot. Instead of stopping, the driver kept going. The car hit large boulders that marked the edge of the lot, lifted into the air, slammed down onto grass, and slid straight into the dark water.
Moments later, the driver scrambled out and climbed onto the roof. The 3-year-old passenger stayed inside, strapped into a child safety seat, with the car sinking fast.
Seconds That Made All the Difference
Authorities say the vehicle was partially submerged when the first 911 calls came in. By the time deputies and firefighters arrived, only part of the car’s roof was visible.
Inside, the toddler was still buckled in. Spalding County deputies and a firefighter dove in, forcing open a door and pulling the child into their arms. They began CPR right there on the shore.
One witness said it was tense and eerily quiet except for the rescuers’ urgent shouts. “We were all just holding our breath, hoping the little one would take theirs,” the witness said.
Minutes later, the child regained a pulse. An air ambulance landed nearby and flew them to a regional hospital for intensive care.
What Investigators Say Happened
According to Georgia State Patrol, the driver was under the influence of alcohol. The crash sequence — from parking lot to water — left no doubt about the recklessness involved.
Troopers outlined the charges: DUI, serious injury by vehicle, endangering a child under 14 while DUI, reckless driving, and violations of child safety seat laws.
The case has now been handed to the Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team, which will examine everything from the car’s black box data to the driver’s blood alcohol content.
The Lake, the Road, and the Risks
Dundee Lake isn’t huge, but it’s deep enough in places to fully submerge a car in seconds. Local anglers know its drop-offs well — an edge just a few feet from the grassy shore where the Acura went in.
The parking lot sits lower than the main road, and with the right speed and angle, a driver could bypass the barriers and end up in the water before realizing it. Officials say the boulders there are meant to prevent exactly that — but this time, momentum and speed carried the car over them.
And while incidents like this are rare, GSP records show that alcohol-related crashes into bodies of water in Georgia have happened before, often with tragic results.
The Human Side of the Story
For the rescuers, it wasn’t about heroics — it was about instinct. The deputy who pulled the toddler from the back seat didn’t wait for special gear. The firefighter who helped start CPR kept going until the helicopter crew took over.
People in the area are calling them lifesavers, though neither has spoken publicly yet. A neighbor who watched the rescue said, “They didn’t think twice. They just went in.”
The driver, meanwhile, is in custody. Authorities haven’t released their name yet, but they confirmed the driver will remain in jail until a court hearing.
A Stark Reminder of DUI Dangers
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2023, more than 13,000 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes across the U.S. Georgia accounted for hundreds of those deaths. And while most DUI cases happen on roads, water-related DUI crashes — including boats and vehicles entering lakes — are far deadlier for children.
A quick look at GSP’s past three years of records shows:
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Over 60% of alcohol-related lake crashes involved speeding in the moments before entry.
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Children were present in 15% of those incidents.
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Survival rates for submerged child passengers improve drastically if rescue happens within 3 minutes.
This rescue came down to seconds — and luck that first responders were nearby.
What’s Next for the Case
The investigation will likely take weeks. Reconstruction specialists will examine whether mechanical issues played any role, though troopers say early evidence points squarely to driver impairment.
Prosecutors will review the file before formal charges are brought to court. Given the child’s injuries, legal experts say the driver could face years in prison if convicted.
For now, the toddler remains in hospital. Officials haven’t released their condition, but one source close to the investigation said doctors are “hopeful.”
