Rafting Guide Saves a Life, Gets Arrested

Rescues stranded swimmer, but cops see 'obstruction'
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 12, 2010 4:10 PM CDT
Rafting Guide Saves a Life, Gets Arrested
Thanks for saving her life. Now put on these handcuffs.   (Shutterstock)

Nice work, Ryan Snodgrass. You jumped into a swirling river and saved a 13-year-old girl from drowning. Now put on these handcuffs. Cops arrested the rafting guide for "obstructing government operations" because he disobeyed their orders not to get in the water as they prepared their gear, reports the Denver Post.

The girl had been in Snodgrass' raft when it capsized. She swam away in the swollen river and was missing more than a half-hour before being spotted. Cops were preparing their rescue when the 28-year-old Snodgrass, trained in such maneuvers, came upon the scene and took over. "This is just silly," says his boss. "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." (More rescue stories.)

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