(UPI) A rookie police officer in Chicago rushed into action to save a dog that fell into Lake Michigan while responding to a vehicle crash.

Probationary police officer Juan Farris, who graduated from the police academy six weeks ago, hoisted a pit bull out of Lake Michigan after it fell into the water while seemingly trying to take a drink.

"I never thought I'd be coming to work today and saving a dog's life," Farris told the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters.

Farris and field training officer Daniel Guzman first encountered the dog while responding to a four-vehicle crash in downtown Chicago at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday when they saw it flee from the scene and figured it had exited one of the cars involved in the crash.

"He just kept running back and forth, was pretty excited," Farris told the Chicago Tribune. [The dog] kept trying to get water out of the lake and fell into the lake. I heard the splash. Once I heard, I turned over, I saw him swimming, just went over there and grabbed him.

A news helicopter captured footage of Farris reaching into the water to lift the 50-pound dog up to safety from the nearby walkway.

"I was hoping he didn't get too far because it would've been quite the battle if I had to jump in," he said.

When the dog was pulled from the lake, officers attempted to locate its owner after learning it had not come from one of the cars in the crash and did not have a collar or chip.

Farris said he might be interested in adopting the dog if no owner comes forward to claim it.

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