Indiana Woman Survives 6 Days Trapped in Crashed Car by Drinking Ditch Water

Brieonna Cassell, 41, was found conscious but severely injured after her vehicle veered into a ditch and remained hidden from passing traffic.

Brieonna Cassell, a mother of three, crashed her car in Brook, Indiana, after falling asleep at the wheel, leaving her vehicle trapped in a deep ditch out of view from the road.
Cassell survived for six days by using her hoodie to soak up water from a nearby creek and drinking it, as her phone had lost power and she was unable to move due to severe injuries.
A drainage worker, Johnny Martinez, spotted her vehicle while operating equipment and alerted his supervisor, Jeremy Vanderwall, who helped confirm Cassell's presence in the car.
Cassell suffered severe injuries, including compound fractures in her legs, broken ribs, and a wrist injury, and was airlifted to a Chicago hospital where she remains in stable condition.
The Newton County Sheriff's Office and Cassell's family praised her resilience and credited the quick actions of Martinez and Vanderwall for saving her life.