LAUGHLIN (FOX5) — A quiet evening in Laughlin turned into a life-or-death rescue when a car crashed through a backyard wall and into a home owner’s swimming pool, with the entire incident captured on surveillance video that has since gone viral internationally.
The dramatic footage shows a vehicle flying over a residential wall before landing upside down in a pool. The driver was ejected from the car during the crash and landed in the water, where she struggled before being rescued by the homeowner.
“I looked at this tip. I’m like, no way. No way. This is fake,” said FOX5 reporter Victoria Saha.
CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Car crashes into backyard, goes airborne before driver lands in pool
Homeowner becomes unlikely hero
The homeowner, Cletis Reed, had just opened his hot tub and was about to relax when he heard a loud boom. He had gone inside to tell his wife something, a decision that likely saved his life.
“He had just opened it up, got the bubbles going. He said he had to go inside and tell his wife something. And then he heard this loud boom, and he went outside,” Saha said.
The surveillance video captures Cletis asking, “Are you okay?” as he processes the scene before dragging the woman from the pool to safety.
“You see him dragging her out. And then he tells his wife, go call 911,” Saha said. “At this point, the neighbors heard what happened, the commotion, and they came over. Police got there fairly quickly.”
Driver survives against odds
The driver survived the crash with minor injuries, though sources indicate impaired driving may have been a factor. The woman has a history of traffic violations, according to records reviewed by FOX5.
“The reason why we’re able to talk about this so freely is that she ended up being okay, right?” Saha said. “But Cletis, the homeowner, says it’s because his pool was there. She was able to survive. She didn’t just go and hit the concrete.”
The timing and location of where the driver landed proved crucial to her survival. Had she landed a few feet in either direction, she could have struck concrete instead of water.
Massive damage and cleanup
The crash caused extensive damage to Cletis’s property, including a destroyed awning, damaged air conditioning unit, and contaminated pool requiring complete drainage.
“He said that number as well, into maybe $100,000 to drain it. We’re talking 25,000 gallons of water and there’s motor oil in it,” Saha said. “You know, that’s not an easy fix on top of all the debris that was still left.”
A crane was required to remove the overturned vehicle from the backyard, as traditional tow trucks could not access the area.
Story goes international
The FOX5 viewer who submitted the tip provided exclusive access to the surveillance footage. The story quickly spread across media outlets worldwide.
“It went international. The homeowner said he had Australian media calling him like anyone and everyone calling him after FOX5 aired it,” Saha said.
Major media companies contacted both FOX5 and the homeowner seeking rights to the video.
“As soon as it aired in the 5 o’clock show, it was just incredible. Of course, our managers were really pleased how it all came together,” Saha said. “The next day, I’m watching the news. I’m like, ‘Oh, there’s my story.’ It was everywhere.”
Retired couple’s dream disrupted
Cletis and his wife had recently moved from the Los Angeles area to build their dream backyard oasis in Laughlin. The crash occurred before they had enjoyed their new pool for a full year.
“The most heartbreaking thing is, this guy is retired. His wife, the kids, they all moved out there from LA area to buy this house, build their dream backyard oasis. And he hasn’t even been able to enjoy his pool for a full year,” Saha said.
Despite the circumstances, Cletis has maintained his sense of humor throughout the ordeal, even staying up until 3 a.m. with his wife drinking hot chocolate and watching the cleanup efforts.
The homeowner continues to document the repair process and has expressed interest in follow-up coverage as restoration work progresses.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
