Three officers from the Anderson Police Department rescued a 15-year-old girl from a potential drowning Sunday, May 15 at 5 p.m. The officers found her hanging onto a concrete cross-member with her head above water in a fast-moving segment of the irrigation canal operated by the Anderson Cottonwood Irrigation District, according to APD officer Garett Maxwell.
She entered the canal on a rubber raft, lost the raft and was dragged with the current to where she hung on near Anderson Union High School, just upstream from the aqueduct, according to Officer Garett Maxwell. Responding to the scene before Maxwell was APD officer Matt Harper, who secured a safety line to the victim.
"She was really frightened and probably would not have held on much longer," Maxwell said, "Harper really deserves credit here."
Owing to obstructions in the canal, it is not a navigable water slide.
"I was worried she would be striking her head on the cross members if she went under," Maxwell said.
Officer Casey Day arrived and the three were able to remove the girl from the canal. Although bruised and scared, Maxwell said the girl was cleared medically by the Anderson Fire Protection District and released to her parents.
ACID General Manager Stan Wangberg was not available for comment.
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
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