The pond at the Hartford on the Lake apartment complex has a long history of tragedy.
The latest chapter was Saturday afternoon. Columbus police say 39-year-old Chaltu Guyo was trying to park a 2008 Toyota Highlander on Shore Boulevard West when she suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The SUV plunged into the pond.
Then, on Saturday, two adults and three children were in a car that plunged into the pond. Police said the driver was trying to park the car, but suddenly lost control.
Antonio Mister and his friend were among several neighbors who tried to rescue the victims.
The driver, Chaltu Guyo, 39, from Columbus, was able to escape the vehicle on her own. A 55-year-old male passenger, Dereje Kume, of Columbus, died at Mt. Carmel East Hospital early Sunday morning.
The children were taken to a hospital where one was said to be in critical condition while the other two were in stable condition.
There have been similar incidents in the past at the same pond:
- In 2011, a mother and young child died when their car went into the pond.
- In 2013, a young boy fell through the ice. A man went in to try to save him. Both died.
- In 2017, two men died when the car they were in went into the pond.
Resident Felia Rivera says the pond should be enclosed with perimeter fencing.
“They need a real secure fence, not something that somebody can push down and break because they need to take it serious and I don’t think they are,” Rivera said.
There are yellow caution signs posted around the pond and trampled remnants of some chicken wire fencing that residents said was put up several years ago.
AMG Hartford, the company that owns the complex, has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Resident Matthew Cousino doesn’t believe there’s a need for fencing. He says people just need to be more careful.
“Anywhere there’s a body of water, there’s going to be some danger, so you have to know that moving in here,” he said.
