Durham officer rescues 2 women from car in icy creek

DURHAM, NC (WTVD) -- A Durham police officer rescued two women from an icy creek after their car ran off the road during Wednesday's snowstorm.

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Officers were dispatched to the call in the 2600 block of Dearborn Drive shortly after 1 p.m. Durham Police Cpl. J.J. Barazandeh was the first person to arrive at the scene. He saw two women - one in her 30s and one in her 60s - clinging to the door jamb of a fully submerged car.

The women, who were waist deep in the water, were waving their arms and calling for help.

READ MORE: Some areas could see 10+ inches of snow

Cpl. Barazandeh took off his duty belt and jumped into the icy creek, which was at the bottom of a steep embankment. He was able to reach the car and guide both women, floating them on their stomachs, to the shoreline. By that time, two passing motorists had stopped and helped pull the women and Cpl. Barazandeh to safety.

Paramedics arrived and treated the women.

Cpl. Barazandeh dried off, took a hot shower and quickly returned to work, police said.

"It was very numbing," he said, estimating he had been in the water for about four minutes.

Cpl. Barazandeh has been a Durham police officer for 11 years.