Woman who drove into Toledo sinkhole tells her story

"It is truly a miracle that I got out alive"

TOLEDO, Ohio – The woman who drove her car into a gaping sinkhole in Toledo said she did not know if she would survive the ordeal.

Pamela Knox was driving down Detroit Avenue in Toledo Wednesday afternoon when she saw a car in front of her drive over a section of pavement that seemed to be dropping.  Pamela could not steer away and the pavement gave way under her as she reached that spot. She said what she heard was as frightening as what she saw as her car went in.

Read: Toledo sinkhole swallows car

"The sound of rocks falling all around me," Knox said.

Water from a broken water pipe began filling up the back seat of her car. Knox climbed out as firefighters arrived with a ladder. She climbed out and quickly realized she escaped before things got worse.

"As they were walking me away, more pavement from the street caved in on top of my car. They had gotten me out just in time," Knox said.

Pamela's husband rushed to the scene, thinking he would see a car accident, but Kenny Knox said he did not see any cars.

"I was looking around and I saw this huge sinkhole and I was like, I hope she's not in that hole," Knox said.

Video of Pamela's car and her climbing out of the sinkhole has now spread around the world.  She is just thankful she lived to tell the story.

"It's a miracle. It is truly a miracle that I got out of that alive," Knox said.

Toledo city spokesmen Thursday said an old brick sanitation and storm sewer under the street collapsed, leading the sinkhole that swallowed Pamela Knox and her car.


About the Author:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.