Woman Drives Car Into Lake While Intoxicated in Georgia
Nia Johnson drove her vehicle through a fence and into a private lake in Paulding County, Georgia on a cold April night, prompting a 911 call from a concerned citizen who reported a car possibly in the water.
Deputies from the Paulding County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene not knowing if anyone remained inside the submerged vehicle. Upon arrival, they discovered Johnson standing in waist-deep water, illuminated by her phone's flashlight, completely soaked and offering apologies for the incident.
During the rescue operation, Johnson's phone rang with a call from her father. She kept the device pressed to her ear throughout the deputy's efforts to pull her from the muddy lake water, telling her father she was intoxicated while the officer struggled to bring her to safety on dry land.
The bodycam footage shows the deputy working to extract Johnson from the difficult conditions while she maintained her phone conversation. The incident required deputies to enter the water themselves to assist with the rescue from the lake.
The footage was obtained through a public records request from the Paulding County Sheriff's Office. Johnson faces charges related to driving under the influence following the incident that resulted in her vehicle ending up in the private lake after crashing through perimeter fencing.
