Clinton Township Man Drowns Trying To Save Boy

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI — A 24-year-old Clinton Township man drowned Sunday evening trying to save a little boy who fell into the Clinton River. The man was walking along the river behind the Macomb Family YMCA at about 4:50 p.m. with the boy and his mother. The victim jumped in the river moments after the boy slipped in while trying to feed ducks, according to officials.

The 24-year-old victim’s name has not been released. Thankfully, the little boy was rescued by a fisherman who witnessed the incident, the Macomb Daily reported. “It’s very sad,” Macomb County Sheriff’s Capt. John Roberts told the newspaper. “The river’s current is pretty fast and if you’re not sure of what you’re doing, you can get caught up in it very quickly.”

The water is 10-15 feet deep in that area, according to the Mount Clemens Fire Department. The boardwalk is a popular spot for fishermen and with warmer temperatures moving into the region Sunday, a number had gathered in the area, the Macomb Daily reported. “One of the people fishing down there saw what happened and immediately jumped in and grabbed the little boy,” Roberts told the newspaper. “He was unable to locate (the victim).”

The boy was rushed to a truck where he was warmed before being transported to the hospital for an overall evaluation, Mount Clemens fire Lt. Nick Candela said. Several agencies responded to the incident, including the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, the Shelby Township Fire Department’s Dive Team, and firefighters from Harrison Township and Mount Clemens, the Macomb Daily reported.

“We were able to locate the body using our underwater camera and a Shelby Township diver went in and was able to locate him and bring him to shore,” Harrison Township Fire Battalion Chief Mark Hoskin told the newspaper. The victim was under the water for approximately an hour, fire officials said.

Jonathon Bolton of Mount Clemens was in the area as the rescue got underway. He said people quietly watched the process. “The scene was quiet and calm, in a strange way,” Bolton told the Macomb Daily. “Crowds were at every corner of the intersection. People were gasping and talking. There wasn’t a lot of commotion and everyone that was working on the scene came together and moved swiftly.”

Photo by Andrew Malone via Flickr Commons