Overview
- Deputies Robert Rutkowski and Zachary Kerin and off‑duty Fort Lauderdale Fire Captain Keith Costa jumped into the canal and pulled the trapped elderly driver free seconds before the car submerged.
- The rescue occurred when a vehicle drove through a fence into a canal on May 1 and responders broke a window to extract the woman while using a flotation device and rope to get her to shore.
- Broward Sheriff’s Office posted body‑worn camera video this week that shows the timing and tactics used, and the footage confirms the woman survived and the crash was later ruled an accident.
- Deputy Kerin suffered minor hand injuries while breaking the window and was treated on scene, and crews have since repaired the damaged fence near the 2600 block of South Palm Aire Drive.
- The released video underscores how interagency training and bodycam transparency can clarify emergency actions and may prompt public discussion about rescue procedures and safety at canalfront barriers.