WATCH: Officers rescue man, 2 dogs from submerged car after crash

WALDORF, Md. (WJLA) - Five deputies from the Charles County Sheriff's Office in Maryland are being hailed as heroes for swooping into action to save a man and two dogs that were trapped underwater.

Parts of the police response were caught on body camera footage as Charles County deputies arrived to the crash scene where a single vehicle plunged off a bridge and into a 17-foot pond.

"My only thought was how am I going to do this and how fast can I get it done?", Officer Ian Bier said.

Timing was everything on that rainy Nov.

26 evening.

Bier was training other officers that day. He said as he arrived on scene, they could no longer see the vehicle in the water.

"I didn't know how deep in the water, but it was probably going to be definitely jarred based upon the hill that it went down," Bier said.

All five officers assisted. They plunged into the frigid water to begin the rescue.

"It was very murky," Bier described. "So even if we went under, we wouldn't be able to see anything.

So we literally was just reaching into the dark."

Inside that car with seconds left of air was Martin Watts and his two dogs.

"Honestly, I was probably going to be there until somebody tried to pull that vehicle out because I wasn't having no luck finding that jack handle and I didn't expect somebody to come in the water and rescue me.

I didn't expect to live through it," Watts said.

Deputies rescued a man and two dogs who were trapped in a car underwater after a crash.

Police said it was thanks to a good Samaritan for staying to assist officers find the submerged car.

"I have nothing but gratitude for them and them going above and beyond in what they needed to do in that situation," Watts added.