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Car slides off icy road and plunges into Lake St. Clair

Posted at 4:33 PM, Mar 13, 2017
and last updated 2017-03-13 17:42:43-04

A driver is speaking out after losing control of his vehicle and crashing into an icy Lake St. Clair in Grosse Pointe Shores on Monday morning.

Richard Belisle tells 7 Action News that he was only driving about 30 or 35 mph on Lake Shore Drive, but when he attempted to change lanes, he lost control on some ice.

Belisle's car slid over the grass and down into the water.

Belisle said the window was cracked, allowing freezing water to pour in.

"The electric window wouldn't go down, so I broke the window with my hands, climbed out, and got out on the roof," he said. "I took a flying leap as far as I could to shore, swam to the ledge and started yelling for help."

Thankfully, another motorist saw the back end of his car in the water and called 911. Police responded immediately. He was taken to the hospital, checked out and released.

Click on the video to hear from Belisle and a police warning to others driving in snowy conditions.