On Thursday, December 30, police stated that a woman “intentionally drove off a cliff and into a pond,” according to NBC DFW.
Buddy Calzada, spokesman for the Fort Worth Police Department, said that at 12:54 pm, they received a phone call that needed a crisis intervention “involving a possible overdose.”
The incident happened in north Fort Worth close to 820 North Loop and Old Decatur Road in the neighborhood called Trailwood, KRLD News reported. Police went to the home where the call was made.
While there, they gained information on what the woman in need looked like and a description of her “vehicle she was driving.” At the 700 block of Riverflat Drive, they located the woman’s vehicle at a site that used to be a rock quarry, and she was parked at the edge of a cliff where a pond sat below. The woman was in her car alone.
Calzada stated, “Once the female saw the officers, the officers had not made any contact with her… she purposely drove her vehicle into the body of water…” Police immediately called for backup and help.
According to CBS DFW, civilians were on the scene trying to help the best they could. One civilian let the police officers use his boat to locate the vehicle in the pond. The officers found the car and made several attempts to rescue the woman “but were unable to reach her.”
Other teams, including firefighters, the Fire Department’s dive team, and three MedStar crews, came quickly to assist the officers and arrived at the scene around 1:20 pm. The dive team tried to rescue the woman, but the vehicle was severely damaged, causing the rescue to be unsuccessful.
The woman, who was identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office as thirty-five-year-old Amanda Salinas from Fort Worth, died. Her vehicle had to be lifted from the pond by a crane controlled by firefighters.
Mike Drivdahl, spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department, stated, “Extremely saddening, especially this time of the year with the holidays… our hearts go out to the families who must really be hurting at this time… it’s just a heartbreaking scene out here.”
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 800-273-8255 or text ‘Home’ to Crisis Text Line at 741741 if you or anyone you know needs help and guidance.
