July 7, 2009

0 Comments

Sheriff Carries Hypothermic Maple Valley Man to Safety

A Sheriff's deputy carried a man on his back approximately one-quarter to one-half mile to safety over the weekend, after the man became hypothermic while rafting in the Green River.

The incident occurred the evening of July 3 at about 8:30 PM.  A 32 year-old Maple Valley man was rafting on the river with his girl-friend, drifting from Flaming Geyser State Park to Whitney Bridge, getting out, and then rafting again.  They began about 3:30 PM.

The girl-friend didn’t go on the last trip because of a scraped knee, so she got a ride to the bridge, just in time to see her boy-friend drift by on the raft, unresponsive.

When deputies arrive the woman was hysterical, and said her boy-friend had been missing on the river for about an hour.

Washington State Patrol’s aircraft was called in.  They located a “hot spot” downriver from the bridge, and directed Sheriff's Sergeant Cameron Lefler to a driveway in the 21200 block of SE Green Valley Road. 

From there Sgt. Lefler made his way through thick underbrush to the river.  He found the subject in the water, extremely hypothermic and unable to move.  The sergeant dropped his duty belt and waded into the water up to his waste to get to the man.  Due to his condition, Sgt. Lefler carried the man on his back to the waiting aid car, a trek of approximately one-quarter to one-half mile.

The man was treated and taken to Auburn Hospital by ambulance, where he was treated. 

Surprisingly, alcohol is believed to be a contributing factor in the incident.

Sgt. Lefler is no stranger to public service.  He became a sheriff's deputy in 1993.  However after Sept 11th he resigned from the Sheriff's Office and enlisted in the Marines.   He served two tours in Iraq, including Fallujah, and was promoted  to sergeant. 

Sgt. Lefler received two Combat V awards for valor in combat, and a Purple Heart.

He returned to the Sheriff's Office in 2005, and was promoted to sergeant earlier this year.