Man dives into water after baby ejected off bridge in multi-car crash

Charlie Dwyer

OCEAN CITY, MD – A man who witnessed a baby ejected out of a car on a bridge during a crash and into the water below sprung into action. Ocean City firefighters say the man, Joe Oertel, jumped from his boat into the water to rescue the baby. Oertel and the baby were pulled back into the boat safely.

On Sunday, at approximately 2:47 pm Ocean City Communications Center dispatched Ocean City Fire and Police units to the Route 90 bridge for a vehicle crash with injuries. A Worcester County Fire Marshal quickly arrived on the scene and informed communications one vehicle was half over the guardrail, and multiple patients were injured.

A mass casualty incident was declared and the call was upgraded to a rescue response. During the collision, one pediatric patient was ejected from the car teetering over the guardrail and landed into the Assawoman Bay.

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A good samaritan immediately jumped over the guardrail and into the bay, rescuing the infant. Firefighters secured the vehicle with rescue tools, while paramedics treated multiple priority patients. Seven patients were transported by ground to various hospitals while the pediatric patient was flown to John Hopkins Children’s Hospital. Ocean City Police are currently investigating the cause of the accident, and Route 90 remains closed at Coastal Highway and 589.


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