Accidents happen in this industry, but quick thinking and the ability not to panic in a time of crisis can make all the difference. What could have been a tragedy instead had a happy ending thanks to the quick thinking and quicker reaction time of Carl Goede and his son, 24-year old Joe, of Rivers Edge Oil & Tire in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, this past November.
It started around 11 am on Friday, November 11, when 90-year old Marguerite Deremer began to pull away from the carwash after having her vehicle cleaned. Instead of pressing on the brake, she instead pressed the accelerator, rapidly picked up speed and crashed through an overhead door.
While the woman was able to successfully swerve and avoid a collision with the oil change building, she then hit a curb, which sent her car airborne. It landed in a retention pond located to the north of the business’s property and began to sink into the chilly water.
However, no sooner had the vehicle hit the water than Carl Goede rushed toward the scene, but not before telling his wife to call 911 to ensure professional help would also be on the way.
“By the time I reached the water her car was three quarters of the way across the pond,” Goede said. “I kicked off my shoes and dove in with Joe right behind me.”
As the father and son reached the car, Goede saw she was elderly and seemed to be in a state of shock. As the car filled with water the father and son opted not to try to remove Deremer from the vehicle; instead, they were able to pull it back to the shore. By that time emergency service personnel began to arrive, and they were able to break the passenger window and successfully pull out Deremer.
“Her niece stopped by Saturday morning to thank us for taking action and to let us know she was OK,” Goedge said. “This was her first accident in her life.”
It likely won’t be one she’ll forget!
