Saturday, June 12, 2010

Raft guide arrested for rescue

How stupid is this? A river guide was arrested for reaching a stranded rafter first.
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.
Apparently the guide violated the time limit on rescuing a member of his own rafting trip.
"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."
Well he's got a point there, doesn't he? I know if I was stranded after being nearly drowned, the last thing I'd want is for the first person to find me to come and see if I was okay.

Sounds to me like the sheriff was disgruntled about being robbed of media attention for being the big hero. This is kind of small-minded government we need to get rid of in this country. And what do you want to bet that this sheriff is a tea party type who is outraged about big government interfering in health care?

[More posts daily at The Detroit News]

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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The sheriff needs someone with some common sence (apparently not him)get control of this situation, right now they sound like immature cry babies!

2:31:00 AM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

Isn't it crazy? I know if I was in that position, I wouldn't just sit there and wait for the sheriff to arrive, even if it meant getting arrested.

1:23:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, but I disagree. I live in the Arkansas River basin in Colorado. Right now is runoff time and the river flow is extremely high, fast and dangerous. Unless you have been on that river this time of year you don't understand the danger he placed the other people on his raft in when he left them alone. These rafts never carry just one client.

It sounds like there were trained rescue personnel present trying to save this guy who fell out. The guide left his raft, and presumably his other clients to swim to the resue of this guy. It was brave but stupid, and he knows it. His other clients could easly have capsized and drowned without their guide in the raft.

The local law enforcement, wildife officials and rafting companies usually work together very well in order to protect rafters. This is a huge industry for Colorado and it is extremely important that all of the players follow rules established to protect the tourists who come to Colorado. If there had not been emergency personnel on the scene already, then yes, the guide would have been right to risk his and his other rafters lives, I guess. But the grandstander was the guide.

1:47:00 PM  
Blogger Libby Spencer said...

Is it clear that he left the other rafters alone? I would expect that they would beach the raft with the others. But good point if he didn't.

2:15:00 PM  
Blogger NathanJay said...

Please read blogs with caution. The rescued was a female, between the ages of 12 and 15. The guide charged was not the guide of the boat loosing the client Procedures have been put in place for emergency services to identify trips leaders (more experience) and first year guides from commercial companies. I would also ask people to question the companies they are traveling down the rapids with. How long has your company been on this creek? What certifications do you have as a guide? What certifications does your company require you to have? Be aware that not all blogs report fact.

12:57:00 AM  

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