ORANGE PARK, Fla. – A 37-year-old woman pulled from a car that crashed into a pond in Orange Park on Thursday later died, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers said Douha Point du Jour Honor was driving a 2002 Volvo sedan on Oakleaf Plantation Parkway and for unknown reasons lost control and drove through a grass shoulder into a large retention pond. The vehicle became submerged in the pond and Honor was underwater for more than 45 minutes, according to FHP.
Witnesses started calling police around 10 a.m. to report that a driver had veered off the road into the pond just north of Eagle Landing Parkway and south of Plantation Oaks Boulevard.
Friends of Honor said she had just dropped her two children off at day care off Argyle Forest Boulevard and was headed home when the accident happened.
Honor's friend and mentee, Bianca Registre, said she received the news she never imagined she'd get.
"I was very shocked because I honestly couldn't even think that something like that could happen to her," said Registre. "She's someone that is so loving and cares so much for everyone else, her loss is everyone's loss."
The Clay County Sheriff's Office dive team and the FHP pulled Honor and the car from the water. The car was about 30 to 40 feet into the water, according to FHP Sgt. Dylan Bryan.
Honor was alive but unresponsive, Bryan said. She died at St. Vincent's hospital in Clay County.
Guy Stevio said Honor (pictured) came from Haiti with her two children recently and was waiting on her husband to come to the United States as well. He said she was an active member of The Tabernacle Church of Christ in her Oakleaf community.
"She's the one who offers a lot, as a young woman, who offers a lot for the kids," Stevio said.
The church pastor, Guy Vil, said Honor often gave advice to young women at the church. Vil said it hurts knowing a member of the church family is gone.
"Everybody is crying," said Vil. "So many calls are coming in every minute. My telephone rings every minute."
Honor's pastor told News4Jax he'll need strength in the coming days as church members share their grief with him.
"I don't know how I'm going to stand on Sunday for the sermon, said Vil. "I don't know yet. God knows. I don't know."
Troopers said they still don't know why Honor lost control of her vehicle at the curve in the road on Oakleaf Plantation Parkway. Witnesses said the retention pond is more than 20 feet deep, which proved to be a challenge for rescue crews.
"It was deeper than most that we've experienced in the interstate system, and that's probably one of the difficulties with the recovery process," Bryan said.
Troopers said a man driving by was the first to notice the car floating in the retention pond. The vehicle quickly began taking on water and sank in a matter of minutes.
News4JAX learned Honor worked as a medical assistant and her colleagues are also having a hard time. Memorials for Honor are now being planned.