No one can yet say why a 2003 gold Mercury Sable went out of control on Oct. 15 while driving down the street behind Bayonne High School. One moment, its driver, Judith Matusaitis, was steering past the Veteran’s Stadium football field. The next moment, the car rushed over the curb, across more than 20 feet of glass and through a wooden barrier, before plunging into the cold water of Newark Bay.
The car drifted out more than 50 feet and then began to sink. Water soon covered the car, with the 66-year-old Matusaitis inside.
Impact with the wooden barrier or possibly the shock of the cold water knocked Matusaitis out.
Six minutes later, two EMTs, Joe Burlew and Tom Kenny of McCabe Ambulance Service, arrived. Fortunately, the ambulance crew was nearby on Avenue A when the call arrived.
“It was incredible,” said Mike Peregin, who saw the EMTs arrive. “They just dropped their walkie talkies, took off their gear, and dove in.”
Joining the two EMTs were police officers Joseph Heany and Wayne Crawford, fire captains Daniel Marasco and Joseph Lyga, and firefighters Thomas Schork and Michael Daly.
All eight rescuers were later treated for exposure at Bayonne Medical Center, due to the low temperatures of the water.
When they got to the car, they found the windows closed and an unconscious Matusaitis inside.
“The vehicle by this time was totally submerged and filled with water,” said Fire Chief Greg Rogers. “The rescuers worked frantically to get [Matusaitis] out.”
Balancing on the top of the submerged vehicle, they managed to break out the rear window using a heavy steel rescue tool known as a Halligan.
Rogers said rescuers at the car called back to shore for the heavy piece of rescue equipment.
“Kelly reached into the rear window, located the victim, and muscled her out, assisted by Burlew,” Rogers said. “The victim was reportedly unconscious and blue in color.”
Kelly [who was later treated for lacerations as a result of the broken glass] and Burlew passed the victim up to Daly, who began to shake her in an attempt to revive her.
“She regained consciousness and cried out that she could not breathe,” Rogers said.
Daly, Heaney, and Burlew worked together to help her swim back to shore.
“When I saw them coming out, she was alive and breathing,” said Peregin, who witnessed the rescue. “It was amazing to watch, an unbelievable heroic effort. It made me feel great knowing we have those kinds of people in this town.”
Matusaitis, an employee of the Bayonne Board of Education, was in critical but stable condition at Bayonne Medical Center, according to a statement released by Schools Superintendent Dr. Patricia McGeehan.
The Bayonne Fire Department rescue boat (manned by Captain Sean Lavin and Firefighter Mike Petrakian, who had been dispatched at the first report) was deployed and worked with four firefighters – Captain Joe Lyga, Captain Daniel Marasco, and firefighters Tom Schork and Jeff Spengler (who also swam out to the vehicle) – to check for additional victims.
“Fortunately, it was discovered that the driver was the only occupant,” Rogers said.
Divers from the New York Police Department along with Bayonne Police Officer Anthony Sanchez arrived by boat to help search the underwater vehicle, and then strapped the vehicle to a tow line so it could be dragged out of the bay.
“Being trapped in a vehicle filled with water and totally submerged is a nightmarish scenario,” Rogers said. “This was an incredible rescue. If it wasn’t for such an outstanding team effort involving members of EMS, fire and police, it is apparent to me that the victim would not have made it. She is lucky to be alive, and I commend the efforts of all the rescuers that day.”