Ohio woman saves herself after driving vehicle into Yatesville Lake

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

LOUISA — An elderly Ohio woman was able to save herself after being trapped in her car underwater at Yatesville Lake recently.

Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Joe Osborne said Mary Joe Pitre’, 79, of Chesapeake, Ohio, went out to get some flex tape and decided she wanted to go for a drive.

“The last place she remembered being was in Ashland, but she kept driving and she wound up in the Boons Landing area, went on the gravel road and tried to turn around in a grassy area but I think she accidentally went forward and wound up in the water,” Osborne said. “She appeared to have early onset dementia and didn’t know. She was trapped under water in the car and she freed herself by climbing over the seat and kicking the back door open. The back door was open when we pulled the car out of the water.”

Lawrence County Judge-Executive Phillip Carter put Pitre’ in a cabin until her sister could come and get her the next day.