Police Rescue Windsor Man from Detroit River

Hello time traveller!!
This article is 4525 days old.
The information listed below is likely outdated and has been preserved for archival purposes.

A group of Windsor Police Officers are being credited with saving the life of a Windsor man on the city’s east side this past weekend.

At 9:50 pm Friday evening, police were called to the foot of Pillette Road in Reaume Park for a report of a man who had jumped into the Detroit River and was refusing assistance from citizens who had thrown him a “Life Ring”.

Two witnesses told police that they had watched a man estimated to be in his 60’s wearing pyjama pants, a t-shirt and no shoes climb over the railing and jump into the Detroit River. Police were able to locate the man in the water in the darkness with their flashlights floating face down approximately 20 feet from the break wall in the park, with the current in the river taking the man in a westerly direction.

Two other police officers went into the rear yard of a residence located west of the park and were able to see the man floating face down. One of the officers removed her gun belt, radio and body armour while her partner retrieved a “Life Saving Ring” from the trunk of the Police Cruiser. The officer then jumped into the 44 Fahrenheit degree water and swam out approximately 25 feet to the floating man.

The officer was able to turn the unconscious man over on his back while at the same time, holding onto the Life Ring. Five more responding officers reeled the victim and the officer in the water to the break wall and assisted in pulling the man and the officer out of the river and over the four foot break wall.

Paramedics on scene were able to revive the man while transporting him to Hotel – Dieu Hospital. The man is currently listed in critical but stable condition.