STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — A driver is hospitalized with serious injuries after their car veered into a Stuart pond Friday, leading to a daring water rescue by a quick-thinking bystander.

Just after 8 a.m. Friday morning, Martin County Fire Rescue units say they responded to the scene of a vehicle submerged in a pond near Stuart.

But before divers could even hit the surface, a local hero had reportedly already sprung into action. A bystander, witnessing the crash, jumped into the pond and managed to pull the driver from the sinking car.

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Paramedics quickly took over, treating the victim at the water’s edge before transporting them to a local trauma center with serious injuries, according to MCFR post to Facebook.

While the driver was safely on the bank, MCFR divers braved the chilly water to conduct a secondary sweep, confirming that no one else was trapped inside the submerged vehicle.

Officials praised the quick-thinking citizen who didn’t hesitate to help, noting that the outcome could have been much worse.