Downers Grove woman, 95, dies after car plunges into Aurora pond
A 95-year-old Downers Grove woman died Saturday, 12 hours after being pulled from her car which had plunged into a pond in Aurora.
Helen A. Duncan of the 4900 block of Douglas Road died about 1:30 a.m. at Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora.
Around 1:35 p.m., Duncan was driving her 1997 Ford Crown Victoria southbound on DuPage Parkway at a high rate of speed when she made a hard-right turn to go westbound on Bilter Road, losing control of the vehicle and driving into the retention pond, police said.
Several people that live or were in the area, including an off-duty DuPage County Forest Preserve police officer and an off-duty Cicero auxiliary police officer, immediately dove into the water. Two Aurora police officers and an Aurora Fire Department lieutenant arrived next, joined the rescue efforts and helped pull the woman from the vehicle, police said.
Police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said the vehicle had sunk in about 8 feet of water.
The investigation is being handled by the Aurora Police Traffic Division. An autopsy is pending at the Kane County Coroner's Office.