BATON ROUGE - An off-duty sheriff's deputy saved a man who had been pinned underwater in the aftermath of a violent crash that tore his car in half. 

According to a post shared by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, Deputy William Bankston was on his way home when he saw half of a car on the side of Staring Lane and a group of people standing by a nearby bridge. The bystanders said they saw the car hit the side of the bridge, go airborne, and split in two.

Bankston found the other half of the car in the water beneath the bridge. The car had pinned the driver underwater, and Banks was able to get him out and perform live-saving measures while first responders were on the way.

"There is no doubt in my mind that this young man is alive today only because of Bankston’s heroic actions, quick thinking, and bravery," the post from the sheriff's office said.