Natchitoches Parish, LA – Two Deville men, Brock Newcomb, 32, and Tyler Dauzat, 35, who were fishing in a tournament on Cane River, demonstrated extraordinary bravery when they rescued an 80-year-old man from a submerged vehicle after it plunged into the Cane River following a single-vehicle crash in Natchitoches Parish on Saturday, Feb. 8, shortly after 12pm.
Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright commended Newcomb and Dauzat for their heroic actions.
“We believe the prompt and selfless actions of these two young men saved the life of the elderly driver who was struggling and disorientated as the vehicle was beginning to submerge,” said Wright.
The single-vehicle crash occurred when the driver, operating a 2018 Honda Accord, traveling southbound on La. Hwy 494 near the Bermuda community, veered off of the road, to the left, traveling down an embankment plunging into Cane River.
The two men, who were fishing just north of the crash site, were having little luck so they decided to move further south down river. As they went around a bend, they initially thought they observed a boat, but quickly realized it was a car in the water.
Without hesitation, Newcomb and Dauzat quickly raced to the car in their boat, observing a man inside as it was beginning to submerge.
They yelled to the elderly man to lower the driver’s door window or they would have to break it. He lowered the window, with a laceration to his face, and appeared disoriented. Dauzat and Newcomb attempted to extricate the man from the vehicle but it appeared his feet were tangled or caught. They didn’t stop. They caught the man by his belt and pulled him through the window to safety onto their boat.
Soon afterwards, they transported him to the Shell Beach boat launch for medical aid.
Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Deputies, Louisiana State Police, Cane River Patrol, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center EMS, La. Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the NPSO Dive Team responded to the scene.
The elderly man was transported from the scene by EMS to Natchitoches Regional Medical Center for treatment of injuries and was later transferred to a Lafayette hospital in stable condition.
Sheriff Wright, in a statement, praised their courage, saying, “What Brock and Tyler did was nothing short of heroic. They risked their own safety to help a stranger in need, and without their intervention, the outcome could have been much worse. We are incredibly grateful for their swift response and bravery.”
Local residents and law enforcement officials alike have expressed their admiration for the fishermen’s actions, emphasizing the importance of community and quick thinking in times of crisis.
Brock Newcomb and Tyler Dauzat’s heroic rescue serves as a reminder of the selflessness and courage that can emerge in moments of need, and their actions have certainly left a lasting impact on the Natchitoches community.