Teen Saves 3 Girls, Police Officer From Drowning After Car Plunges Into River

Pascagoula, Mississippi -- A 16-year-old boy in Mississippi saved the lives of three teenage girls and a police officer who were drowning in the Pascagoula River.

Corion Evans was in the right place at the right time when a vehicle drove off the I-10 Boat Launch and plunged into the river Sunday morning. The vehicle, with the three teenage girls, went around 20 feet away from the shore before it started to sink, Inside Edition reported.

"They drove straight under the water," 16-year-old Evans told WLOX. "Like, only a little bit of the car was still above the water."

The teenager sprang into action and took off his shoes and his shirt. He tossed his phone aside and jumped into the water.

"I was just like, 'I can't let none of these folks die. They need to get out the water.' So, I just started getting them," he added. "I wasn't even thinking about anything else."

Evans, who had been swimming since the age of three, used his skills to save the girls as they struggled to get out of the water. His friend, Karon "KJ" Bradley, also jumped in to help.

"I was behind them trying to keep them above water and swim with them at the same time," Evans told the outlet.

A Moss Point police officer, identified as Gary Mercer, had responded to calls for help and jumped into the water to save the girls.

"I turned around. I see the police officer. He's drowning," Evans explained. "He's going underwater, drowning, saying, 'Help!' So, I went over there. I went and I grabbed the police officer and I'm like swimming him back until I feel myself I can walk."

The Pascagoula High student said there was "a lot of swimming" involved, but he only stopped after the girls and the officer were safely brought back to dry land.

"They were out there throwing up because a lot of water had got inside all of them," Evans said. "25 yards out, so it was a lot of swimming. My legs were so tired after. Anything could've been in that water, though. But I wasn't thinking about it."

The girls and the officer were taken to a hospital following the incident.

"The police department and I commend Mr. Evans' bravery and selflessness he displayed by risking his own safety to help people in danger," Moss Point Chief Brandon Ashley said in a statement to WLOX. "If Mr. Evans had not assisted, it could have possibly turned out tragically instead of all occupants rescued safely."

Marquita, Evans' mother, also praised her son for bravely jumping in to save four people.

"I was really proud of Corion because he wasn't just thinking about himself. He was trying to really get all those people out the water," the mother told the outlet. "I'm glad nothing happened to him while he was trying to save other people's lives."