Traffic accident in Catoosa sends a car into a retention pond

A Claremore man is recovering, after three people saved his life by pulling him from his submerged car. <br/><br/>72-year-old Jack Bailey apparently had a seizure before his car left I-44 and landed in

Monday, February 27th 2006, 11:20 am

By: News On 6

A Claremore man is recovering, after three people saved his life by pulling him from his submerged car.

72-year-old Jack Bailey apparently had a seizure before his car left I-44 and landed in a retention pond near the Cherokee Casino at Catoosa. Mike Evans is an electrician who was working in the casino parking lot.

He saw the car land in the pond. He ran to it and dove in without thinking twice. "I couldn't get to the driver's door, it was too deep. I went to the back door and the suction was so strong, I had to use all my strength to open it. When I did, it shot him up at me and I saw his white hair. That's all I could see in the dark and I pulled him out so he could get some air."

Jenks high school senior, Andrew Martin and Wes Little were driving behind Bailey before the accident. They also stopped and helped get him out of the water.

Bailey called Mike Evans Monday night and thanked him. The two men plan to meet later in the week.