Iowa State football players credited with saving woman's life while on spring break

Iowa State current and former football players are being credited with saving a woman’s life last month after her car plunged into a canal during spring break on South Padre Island in Texas last month.

Former Cyclones linebacker Jack Spreen told the Associated Press Friday that he and some friends were sitting on a balcony at their hotel on March 16 when they noticed a car go into a nearby canal.

Spreen said he, current Cyclones linebacker Anthony Lazard and Joe Doran, a former walk-on player, sprinted into the water.

Spreen said the woman, identified by police as 22-year-old Luis Maria Castro, was attempting to kick out the windshield as water filled the passenger side of the vehicle.

The three men tried to break the driver's side window without success, but the woman was able to make a hands-sized hole in the windshield.

Spreen said he and his friends were able to make that hole big enough to pull the woman out of the car.

"The only thing I can take away from it is just to help people when they're in a bad situation," Spreen said. "There really wasn't much decision making. We just went."

The Des Moines Register reported that current Cyclones players Josh Jahlas and Spencer Benton and former player Matt Swoyer were also credited with rescuing Castro.

The South Padre Island police department said in a press release that the witnessing officer, Michael Schiltz, credited the men with saving the woman's life.

"That car completely sank in less than a minute and if not for them jumping into the water and pulling the driver out, she would most certainly have drowned," Schlitz said.

Castro was later charged with driving while intoxicated.

“They really are heroes, and I am forever grateful for what they did,” Castro told the Register by telephone Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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