Woman called 911 after driving into Warren County pond

MONROE, Ohio (WXIX) - A woman who drowned after driving into a Warren County retention pond Sunday called 911, but officers and responders couldn’t reach her in time, police say.

Yun O. Tait, 55, of Fairborn drove a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee into a retention pond while traveling on I-75. She drowned as law enforcement and emergency crews tried to save her.

Audio from Warren County dispatch described Tait as screaming into the phone for help after calling 911.

“She just disconnected,” a dispatcher told officers. “She advised she ran off the roadway, near the Middletown exit. She is submerged in water and still in the vehicle.”

Lt. Matt Schmenk of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said troopers arrived at the pond within seven minutes of Tait’s call.

“Several of the officers, troopers and a deputy attempted to go out into the water,” Schmenk said on Monday. “They broke open the rear window and tried to retrieve the driver, but I think at that time though, it was a little too late by the time they got there.”

Schmenk said multiple people driving by and responders from multiple departments tried to help save Tait.

“It’s sad you know,” Schmenk said. “We do our best every day to protect people and take care of people. So it hurts for the officers that are out there when they’re trying to save a life.”

The Middletown and Monroe fire departments responded for a water rescue. They were able to pull the vehicle from the water with help from a tow truck.

The 55-year-old was taken to UC West Chester Hospital, where she later died, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office. The office ruled drowning as her cause of death.

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