Please, forgive me. >> You're already here. Come on. >> Please, forgive me. >> You're not hurt, are you? Come on. >> Most criminals run to escape jail, but this suspect ran straight into a watery grave. What started as a routine traffic stop turned into a desperate fight for life in the middle of a freezing river. Today, the very officers he was running from are his only hope of survival. It began in rural Ohio. Sergeant Nolting just wanted to pull over a silver sedan for a simple seatbelt violation. But, the driver, Alex, had other plans. With active warrants and a history of running, he floored the gas leading police on a high-speed chase through narrow back roads where one wrong turn could be fatal. The chase reached its dead end at the Muskingum River. Alex didn't hesitate. He drove the car straight over a steep bank and into the water. Thinking he could swim to freedom, he jumped into the current. But, the river was faster, colder, and deeper than he imagined. Paralyzed by drugs and exhaustion, the fugitive quickly became a victim. >> Help me, please. Help. >> Alex's screams echoed across the water. That's when Trooper David Schumaker, a former Marine, made a choice. He stripped off his gear and dove into the murky, dangerous water. Fighting the 4-miles-per-hour current and thick mud, Schumaker reached the drowning man just as he was slipping under for the last time. Alex survived, but only because of the men he tried to outrun. While he faced multiple felonies and a long road back to prison, the story that day wasn't about the crime. It was about the rescue. Trooper Schumaker was later awarded the Citation of Merit for proving that when a life is on the line, the badge knows no enemies. Would you risk your life to save someone who was running from you? These officers did. Tell us your thoughts in the comments. If you want to see more stories where the police go above and beyond, subscribe to Body Cam Pulse. Stay safe.