Ukrainian refugee Volodymyr Zubko honored for rescue of driver from water in Freeport

Ukrainian refugee Volodymyr Zubko was working at his home overlooking the Jeffstar Marina near the Nautical Mile in Freeport last month, when he heard the loud thud of a car crashing violently into the water.

Zubko, 38, a software engineer who had only been in the United States for four days at the time, rushed down to the canal, stripped off his shirt and jumped into the chilly 18-foot-deep water, helping pull the driver, the lone occupant of the vehicle, to safety with the help of three Freeport police officers. The unidentified driver survived the trauma but remains hospitalized with injuries suffered in the crash.

On Thursday, Freeport and Town of Hempstead officials and first responders honored Zubko, hailing the humble immigrant as a selfless "hero" who risked his life for a stranger in need of assistance.

"I saw legs and a car and … I decided I needed to do something because I don't have time — I don't know, three to five seconds," Zubko said during a news conference at Freeport Village Hall. "I don't have time to think. I just take off my T-shirt and jump into the marina to save him."

Zubko, who was raised in Kharkiv, a city in northeastern Ukraine, fled his war-torn country last month during Ukraine's ongoing war with Russia and is still waiting for his formal working papers.

Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy honored Zubko on Thursday with a Hometown Hero citation, citing his "unselfish act of bravery" that helped save the life of a motorist in need.

The vehicle was moving at a high rate of speed shortly after 9 a.m. on Sept. 19 when it went into the marina near Hudson Avenue, hit a bulkhead, went airborne, flipped over a 26-foot boat and landed in the canal, Kennedy said.

It remains unclear if the driver had a medical episode or if the vehicle sustained mechanical damage, officials said.

Zubko recalled that he was working at his computer when he heard a car crash — an unlikely sound for an area without any roadways. A capable swimmer, Zubko rushed to the scene, saw just the legs of the victim and jumped into the water, pulling him to safety by his ankles.

Freeport Fire Department Executive Director Ray Maguire said 911 dispatchers received calls for a vehicle in the water. But by the time police and firefighters arrived on scene, Zubko was already in the water, moving the victim onto a floating dock.

"There was a lot of civilians standing around pointing but he actually dove in and made all the difference in the world," Maguire said.

First responders joined Zubko on the floating dock to assist the unconscious victim, who had been partially ejected from the vehicle, Maguire said.

Meanwhile, the unstable dock collapsed, sending some officers into the water, according to police body camera footage of the incident shared with reporters.

"A paramedic started working on [the driver], and he is alive today because of the actions of the police officers, the firefighters, and most importantly, our new resident," Maguire said.

And while village police and fire officials are already attempting to lure Zubko into joining their respective departments, the software engineer said he is not yet sure about changing careers.

"Everything is possible," he said.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.