Officer risks own life to save woman

POTHOLES STATE PARK - At any moment she could have been swept away. The only thing keeping Laura Williams from heading down the falls near Potholes State Park was a tree branch she held onto for more than an hour, before a state Fish and Wildlife officer risked his own life.

About 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Williams, 35, residence not listed, and two others set out for inner-tubing through the Frenchman Wasteway at the Potholes Reservoir. A man in the group, believed to be her boyfriend, had told Williams they would need to pull off of the water near the state park because of water falls up ahead, Capt. Chris Anderson said. Anderson is captain for the Ephrata Fish and Wildlife office.

The three reportedly didn't have life jackets and Williams didn't know how to swim.

"It was a recipe for disaster," Anderson said.

When they reached the point to pull out of the water, Williams overshot the take out and continued downstream toward the falls in a fast moving current. She continued through bushes and branches, injuring her leg before luckily grabbing hold of an over-hang branch right above the falls, Anderson said. But she was unable to stand and clung on the branch for more than an hour.

Firefighters and a park ranger had attempted a crossing but the current was too fast. Sgt. Michael Jewell arrived and asked for a safety rope and put on a life jacket. Working with firefighters, they were able to hook a safety line to his life jacket. He took off his gun belt and headed across the safety line toward Williams. Because there were no access roads to the area where Williams was stuck, Jewell had to cross from the opposite shore and was able to get Williams into a life jacket and the two worked themselves back across the river to the shore, Anderson said.

Williams was reportedly "scared to death" but very appreciative for the work of those on scene, Anderson noted. Williams was taken to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake with a leg injury. Jewell also visited Williams at the hospital.

Anderson, not surprised by the courageous actions of the sergeant, recommended Jewell receive the Lifesaving Award from the department.

Anderson said the area is a popular location for inner-tubing. People usually launch into the water along Dodson Road and pull off at Potholes State Park.