Had he not acted quickly, it could have been an unfortunate Christmas for Jason Cardenas.

Mr. Cardenas, 32, of Findlay, a satellite TV installer, was driving west on snow-covered Sylvania-Metamora Road at 9 a.m. yesterday about a mile west of Pacesetter Park when his van spun out of control and slid hood-first into a pond in front of the Maple Creek subdivision, Sylvania Township police said.

As his van was headed into the frigid water, Mr. Cardenas had a single thought: “All I could think about was rolling down the window and getting out. I learned it from TV.”

With the van s front sinking into the frigid water, Mr. Cardenas climbed through the driver-side window and cambered onto the roof. He made his way to the van s rear and jumped to shore, with only a wet pant leg to show for his frightening experience. By then, the front part of the van had filled with water, leaving the vehicle partially submerged. It was later towed out.

“He acted quickly and correctly,” Sylvania Township police Sgt. Tom DeYoung said. “I m glad it was him rather than a family in a car. It was easier for him to escape because the van s window sits higher off the ground.”

Reached at their home, his fiancee, Stephanie Bollinger, said Mr. Cardenas close call didn t sink in until after he had called. “I m ecstatic he s OK,” she said. “He s a very brave, strong-willed person. He is the kind who knows how to act well in a difficult situation.”

Apparently, Mr. Cardenas is also the type of employee all companies like.

“After the accident, someone came and picked him up and he went right back to work,” Ms. Bollinger said.

First Published December 25, 2003, 6:12 a.m.