Police called the man a hero.
NUTLEY -- A Secaucus man saved a woman Tuesday whose car plunged into the Passaic River, police said.
Jason Moss, 30, had just left his gym in Lyndhurst at about 8:36 a.m. when he saw a 2008 Mercury Wagon jump a curb on the Nutley side and land in about 10 feet of water just north of the DeJessa Bridge conecting the two towns, Nutley Detective Sgt. Anthony Montanari said.
Moss said he and a stranger drove across the river to a boat launch near where the car hand landed. The person he was with said he couldn't swim.
Moss is a strong swimmer so he threw his clothes off and--since it's the Passaic River--put his gym shorts on.
"I just jumped into the water," Moss said. "I didn't realize how shallow it was. I hit some rocks as I jumped down."
He swam to the car and tried to pull open the door, but it wouldn't budge. He could see the woman unconscious in the car as it filled with water.
"It was probably the scariest moment of my life," he said. "If I didn't pull her out, she was dead."
Moss checked to make sure the door was unlocked, then he planted his foot on the side of the door, grabbed the handle and yanked with all his strength. The door came open.
He grabbed her as quickly as he could before the car could sink more and pull both of them down with it and headed back to shore just as emergency responders arrived.
The woman woke up only briefly as Moss carried her, to say she was alone in the car. The police were concerned about Moss' encounter with Passaic River water, and urged him to get a tetanus shot at an urgent care facility. Moss refused transport to a hospital, police said.
The woman would have drowned if it weren't for Moss, because the water was over the car's roof, Nutley Police Chief Thomas Strumolo said. The woman was hospitalized. Her injuries are not considered life-threatening.
Police Director Alphonse Petracco called Moss a hero.
"His quick actions and zero hesitation, risking his own safety to help a complete stranger exemplifies what a hero is," he said.
The crash is still under investigation, police said.
Moss, who works in sales, said he has received countless messages thanking him for the rescue. But the most meaningful one came from the woman's daughter, who reached out on Facebook.
"That's the only thank you I need," he said.
As for everyone else?
"I don't need someone to say thank you for doing what I think is the right thing," he said. "Instead of thanking me, pay it forward. Just do the right thing."
Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.