Man dies day after SUV enters pond

A man died Sunday and an 11-year-old boy remains hospitalized a day after both were rescued from an SUV that plunged into a pond at a Southeast Side apartment complex — which has been the scene of tragedy before.

Dereje Kume, 55, of Columbus, was pronounced dead at 8:01 a.m. Sunday at Mount Carmel East hospital, Columbus police said.

Leta Galagalo, 11, of Columbus, was transported Saturday in critical

condition to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The hospital would not release any updated information about his condition.

Two other boys, Milkessa Kebede, 9, and Kananissa Kebede, 7, were taken in stable condition to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Both of the boys had been helped out of the SUV by a passerby.

The SUV’S driver, Chaltu Guyo, 39, of Columbus, managed to escape from the vehicle.

The accident occurred around 12:15 p.m. Saturday at the Hartford on the Lake apartment complex, which is located at the end of Kingsland Avenue off Hamilton Road near the Eastland Mall.

Columbus police accident investigators believe that Guyo was driving a 2008 Toyota Highlander with Kume and the three boys along Shore Boulevard West, which runs along the apartment complex pond.

Guyo was trying to park the vehicle when she suddenly lost control and ran into the pond, police said. She got out quickly, and a passerby got Milkessa and Kananissa Kebede to the shore.

Columbus fire’s dive team was called to rescue Kume and Galagalo from the submerged Toyota Highlander.

A number of deaths have occurred at the pond.

Two men died on Aug. 9, 2017, when their car plunged into the pond. Paramedics attempted to revive the men after pulling them out of the vehicle, but they both died within hours at the Ohiohealth Grant Medical Center.

Another fatal crash involving the car going into the pond occurred during the late night of Feb. 27, 2011, when Shennell Mallory, 24, drove the car into the water, resulting the death of her and her 4-year-old daughter, Kamiya Pettitford-preyor. Columbus fire dive team members were able to rescue Mallory’s then 1-year-old nephew.

On Feb. 7, 2013, Elijah Walker, 5, was walking out on the ice covered pond when he fell through. James Russell Jenkins, 30, attempted to rescue the boy, but he too fell through, and they both ended up drowning.