Men Pull Deputy from Frigid English River

KCRG & AP

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By Becky Ogann

Story Created: Mar 3, 2010 at 1:29 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 3, 2010 at 6:29 PM CST

WASHINGTON COUNTY - A close call for a Washington County deputy as he fell through the ice into the English River.

On Sunday evening, Washington County deputies received a call from three men, Levi Powell, Jeremy Brokaw, and Cory Kanagy, reporting that they'd found a safe on the ice on the English River while out riding 4-wheelers.

When Washington County Deputy Brandon Hamilton when out into the ice to photograph the safe, the ice cracked and he fell through into the frigid waters.

The sheriff's office says Hamilton was able to resurface and grab the ice, but the ice gave way and he went under a second time, but was able to resurface again. Powell was able to pull the deputy out of the water. Brokaw and Kanagy helped Powell and Hamilton up over the bank and got Hamilton inside of their truck to warm him up.

Deputy Hamilton was taken to Mercy Hospital in Iowa City and was later released.

Sunday's incident is the second close call for Hamilton in the past two and a half months.

Back in late December, Hamilton was helping a driver who slid off a highway during a snowstorm when a truck slammed into the sheriff department's Ford Explorer. Hamilton cut his hand on broken glass. No one else was hurt.

Hamilton loves his job with the Washington County sheriff's office, but he's had enough excitement for a while. Sheriff Jerry Dunbar says his new deputy is a "super, great guy," but was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

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