A woman narrowly escaped a life-threatening situation last Tuesday afternoon when a 7-foot sinkhole opened beneath her vehicle in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, amidst heavy rainfall. The incident was captured on bodycam footage released by the Norfolk Police Department.
Officer Antwon 'AJ' Stevenson responded to the scene as the woman's white SUV became stuck face down in the rapidly expanding sinkhole on East City Hall Avenue. As the officer opened the vehicle's door, floodwaters immediately began rushing in. The woman, who was on her way to work and has not been identified, held onto Stevenson's arm as water rose to her knees, visibly distressed.
Stevenson instructed the woman to "hold still" and "hold on" as he assisted her out of the partially submerged vehicle. Bystanders also played a crucial role, with several citizens stopping to help Stevenson by offering support and even grabbing his belt as he reached for the trapped driver. The water reached the officer's chest at its deepest point.
"They didn't pull their phones out and start recording. They actually stood by and even checked on me, as well as the woman," Stevenson stated, commending the citizens who assisted. He described the rescue as a "team effort."
Witness Brennan Feldman, who was driving downtown at the time, described the rain as the heaviest he had ever experienced. "I couldn't just leave her there," Feldman said, recounting his decision to stay and then witness Stevenson's immediate response. He observed the officer being pulled back by his belt by bystanders once he was in the water.
Feldman noted that the woman appeared "frozen in fear" and unable to move or speak. Stevenson, reflecting on the incident, said he did not consider his own safety, focusing solely on the woman's panic. He also mentioned that another police officer was nearby and prepared to offer assistance if needed.
The identified daughter of the woman stated that Norfolk's roads were "unsafe" and that her mother was shaken and upset. "Her life flashed before her eyes," the daughter told WTKR. The sinkhole was reportedly caused by a water main break.
Norfolk was under a flash flood warning at the time of the incident. Stevenson's quick actions, completed in less than a minute, were described by the Norfolk Police Department as the "talk of the town."