Driver dies after crashing into pond near Kellogg, Dugan (+video)

A 22-year-old Wichita man died after crashing into a pond early Saturday morning near Kellogg and Dugan, a hospital spokeswoman said.

The man was with a small group of friends in a private parking lot when he drove his car west “at a high rate of speed,” clipped the curb and went into a pond between Party City and Kohl’s at about 12:30 a.m., Sgt. Brian Sigman said. The car went airborne and landed in the pond upside-down.

A 19-year-old passenger was able to get out of the car and was not hurt, Sigman said, but the driver could not release his seat belt and was underwater for about 15 minutes before a water rescue team was able to free him by cutting the seat belt.

An EMS crew was able to revive him on the way to Via Christi Hospital St. Francis, where he died later Saturday morning, a spokeswoman for the hospital said.

Wichita police identified him Monday as Eric Bailey of Wichita.

The driver wasn’t racing another vehicle, Sigman said, but investigators aren’t sure yet why he was driving at a high rate of speed prior to hitting the curb and landing in the pond.

This story was originally published August 1, 2015 at 8:48 AM with the headline "Driver dies after crashing into pond near Kellogg, Dugan (+video)."