Posted on 06/14/2010 6:33:54 AM PDT by bjorn14
Clear Creek sheriff's deputies on Thursday arrested a rafting guide for swimming to a stranded young rafter who had tumbled from his boat on Clear Creek.
Ryan Daniel Snodgrass, a 28-year-old guide with Arkansas Valley Adventures rafting company, was charged with "obstructing government operations," said Clear Creek Sheriff Don Krueger.
"He was told not to go in the water, and he jumped in and swam over to the victim and jeopardized the rescue operation," said Krueger, noting that his office was deciding whether to file similar charges against another guide who was at the scene just downstream of Kermitts Roadhouse on U.S. 6.
Duke Bradford, owner of Arkansas Valley Adventures, said Snodgrass did the right thing by contacting the 13-year-old Texas girl immediately and not waiting for the county's search and rescue team to assemble ropes, rafts and rescuers.
"When you have someone in sight who has taken a long swim, you need to make contact immediately," said Bradford, a 15-year rafting guide and ski patroller from Summit County. "This is just silly. Ryan Snodgrass acted entirely appropriately. These guys came to the scene late and there was a rescue in progress. They came in and took over an existing rescue. To leave a patient on the side of a river while you get your gear out of the car and set up a rescue system you read about in a book is simply not good policy."
Snodgrass' raft flipped on the runoff-swelled Clear Creek around noon Thursday and the girl swam from the raft. Krueger said the girl was missing for 30 to 45 minutes while Snodgrass searched for her. He said she swam a half mile from the spot where the raft capsized.
Since it had been so long, Krueger said, it was no longer the rafting company's rescue.
"They should involve themselves up to a point. They lost contact. Whether they want to say they were trying to rescue their customer, when they had lost visual contact and had no idea where their customer has been for 30 to 45 minutes, then it becomes our issue."
Bradford said he would expect his guides to do the same thing again. His guides are professionals, he said, trained and certified in swiftwater rescue.
"To jump into water and navigate a river in a swiftwater rescue is common. You get into the river and swim. You have to do it," Branford said. "The fact these guys don't understand that is disturbing. Making contact immediately with your victim is essential. It's not about who is in charge. It's about the safety of a 13-year-old girl. You are going to do everything in your power to insure the safety of your guest, and if that means in Idaho Springs you get arrested, well I guess we'll just get arrested."
"Let's roll!" Uh..no..you have the right to remain silent....
PROTECTIN’ AND SERVIN’!
An “order” from a LEO is not law. Only a fool arrests a hero for saving the life of a young girl. The arresting officer is a fool. I will be following this case.
Ryan Daniel Snodgrass, a 28-year-old guide with Arkansas Valley Adventures rafting company, was charged with "obstructing government operations," said Clear Creek Sheriff Don Krueger.
This tells me something of the state of mind of law enforcement today.
They are obviously taught that only they are qualified to do something and instead of welcoming help from citizens they will stop or arrest anyone who tries to do something on their own.
Just the opposite of the police mentality that we need to survive a true large scale emergency / enemy attack / etc. But just the right mentality for the police to have in a police state.
Absolutely. The next rock (obstruction, under water branch, whatever) this young girl may have hit, could have ended her life. Every second counts!
If the Sheriff’s team was in the water, then I say yes, he’s right.
If not, he’s an idiot for not commending this man who stayed with it until he saved his charge.
This sheriff’s take on it is disturbing.
I appreciate the supervisor of the rafter youth member, covering for his heroic employee. Kudos to the both of them.
I would demand a jury trial.
That may be why so many LEOs seem so second amendment unfriendly.
In some cases this is needed...Like this case for instance.
Most Americans are not about standing around waiting for government do do something...The Katrina disaster comes to mind regarding waiting for a government response.
Sounds like an ego trip by the Sheriff to me. The government can’t stand for people to take matters into their own hands, it shows how useless the frickin’ government is in a lot of emergency situations.
Cue the banjos
Half-penny Hitler...
Regards,
GtG
Two things:
No good deed goes unpunished
You stole their glory.
What is this crap about who rescues who and whose responsibility it is?
The Sheriff claims the rafting company lost sight and so they no longer have jurisdiction?
Who has the right to argue over saving a human being?
Someone set up a fund for these guys and let’s donate.
Do these morons really want to send this to a jury?
Help, Help! I’m being repressed!
And slow...
Don’t forget OSHA rules.
LOLOLOL
No orders from my employees.
Too much. LOL
“...be the best that they can be.”????
Really?
Someone needs to go back to grammar school.
Should read:
“...the best they can be.”
and I are a high school dropp out.
LOL
I remember that movie and the line.
The movie.... Ugh!
The line... Funny as hell.
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