A man has died and two others were saved after rescue crews were able to pull a family out of a car that went into a Weston canal late Thursday night.
Officials got a call shortly before 11:45 p.m. from the scene on I-75 northbound at the ramp to I-595 eastbound.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, the family's car left the roadway and struck a construction barrel before going into the water.
Workers from a nearby construction crew responded to help pull the people inside – a man, woman and child – out of the vehicle.
"We were just working like a team, trying to save their life," said Jeremiah Lewis, one of the rescuers.
Lewis said he was driving down I-75 with his mother when they witnessed the crash.
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"I told my mom to pull over and she pulled over and I ran to the water. I couldn't see at first until someone put on the light and I saw them and I saw a guy jump in and we got them out," Lewis said.
The rescuers were able to get the woman and child out safely, but it took first responders to get the man out.
Florida Highway Patrol officials confirmed the male victim, 51-year-old Hassan Ali, died at an area hospital. The other two people inside, 42-year-old Syeda Zohra and a five-year-old child, suffered minor injuries.
Lewis said he tried using a rock to crack open the car window to get the man out but by the time he ran back it was too late.
"I wish we could have gotten dad out of the water," Lewis said. "The car was under the water, I couldn't even see the car anymore."
"It's amazing that someone puts their personal well being aside to try and rescue people and it has to be so commended," FHP Sgt. Mark Wysocky said.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
